COUNCILLORS have demanded answers from civic chiefs as to why a council newsletter which cost more than £10,000 to make and distribute was then ‘rushed’ out to residents without their knowledge.

Opposition Liberal Democrat councillors quizzed Winchester City Council leader Cllr Caroline Horrill over the About Winchester publication at the recent full council meeting.

The outcry comes as the newsletter was delivered to residents just two weeks before ‘purdah’, a period in which councillors agree not to release promotional material in the build-up to the local elections, on May 2.

However, Cllr Horrill said councillors were not informed because a council officer had been absent from work.

Cllr Therese Evans said: “I was extremely surprised to receive a hand-delivered copy of About Winchester through my letterbox. I thought we had an agreement that all communications to residents in their ward and parish councils were to be shared in advance to relevant councillors – in this case all of us.

“Could the leader please explain why this newspaper was delivered without councillors’ knowledge, including some officers?

“Who or what committee made the decision? What was urgent about delivering key messages two weeks before election purdah?”

Cllr Horrill responded: “There is no restriction on council communications until purdah starts – and distribution of the newsletter ended on Saturday, March 16.

“There are no photos of members save for a single photo of myself as leader and images of the mayor acting as an apolitical representative of the council. This is not out of step with other councils.

“The chief executive (Laura Taylor) had instructed that members were informed of the upcoming delivery. In this instance it was a case of officer absence directly prior to the delivery that led to the omission of this article from the Democratic Services Update before distribution.”

Cllr Horrill revealed the newsletter cost the council £10,340.44.