Statement on Nottinghamshire Live

Statement from Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Mick Barton on behalf of the Reform Group at NCC.

The Reform Council has always placed the principles of transparency, accountability, and free speech at the heart of our work.

We firmly believe that open dialogue is vital to a heathy democracy, and we welcome scrutiny that is conducted with fairness, balance, and integrity.

However, we also have a duty to protect the credibility of our governance and the voices of those we represent. For this reason, we will not be engaging with Nottinghamshire Live, or with any other media outlet we consider to be consistently misrepresenting our policies, actions, or intentions. Selective reporting, distortion, or omission undermines not only our Council but also the right of the public to accurate information. This decision was not made lightly. It is not about silencing journalism, it is about upholding the principle that freedom of speech must be paired with responsibility and honesty.

We remain fully committed to engaging with media organisations that demonstrate integrity and a genuine commitment to balanced reporting, and we will continue to make ourselves available to the public through transparent communication channels.

Our door is always open to honest debate and constructive criticism. What we will not do is allow misinformation to shape the narrative of our governance, whether local or national.

We will no longer be commenting on this matter, so we can continue our focus on supporting the residents of Nottinghamshire.

Thank you.