PLANS to scrap a controversial council-run newspaper, which costs taxpayers almost £400,000 a year to produce, will be debated next week.

North Yorkshire County Council produces 11 editions a year of its North Yorkshire Times, which is delivered to 300,000 homes and business in the county.

A review of the in-house publication, which contains statutory public notices, announcements and news about the council’s activities, has taken place in recent months.

Among the ideas to be debated is partnerships with companies that publish regional newspapers.

Critics of in-house council publications say they are a waste of public money, while newspaper editors complain they encroach on their commercial territory.

Discussions have taken place between the council and Newsquest, publisher of The Northern Echo, as well as Johnston Press, which owns the Yorkshire Post.

The proposals will be debated by a scrutiny committee on Monday, before going to the council’s executive on Tuesday.

Under any arrangement with newspaper companies, the council may receive a set amount of space to publish information previously printed in the NY Times.

The council would have editorial control of these pages.

In return, the newspaper companies would get a guaranteed income from the additional public notices and adverts previously placed in the in-house publication.

Councillor Carl Les, executive member for corporate services, said talks between the council and the newspaper companies were ongoing.

He said: “I cannot say what the opinion of the scrutiny committee will be, but I hope it will be positive.

“It is important we are able to engage with our communities to let people know what the county council is doing.”

If an agreement between the council and either, or both, of the newspaper publishers is agreed and approved by the executive, the next edition of NY Times would be the last.

The plans have been welcomed by the Conservativeled council’s Liberal Democrat group.

Councillor Bill Hoult, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall, said: “We have opposed NY Times since it began. We have always considered it a waste of taxpayers’ money.

“At a time when the council is looking at cutting bus and library services across the county, spending nearly £400,000 on a free paper is indefensible.

“Working with local newspapers seems like a sensible way of saving money.”