Sir, - I worked for many years in newspapers, and also edited a council publication, and I find Jean Jones' comments about the Darlington Town Crier (D&S, April 11) well wide of the mark.

Local newspapers like this one do a good job in keeping the public informed about what their council is doing. But councils are also strongly advised by the Local Government Association and the Audit Commission to communicate directly and regularly with their residents to promote engagement, debate and involvement in what they're doing. Civic newspapers and magazines are a proven, reliable and cost-effective way of doing that and they provide the information that the mainstream media simply doesn't have the space or time to carry.

The quality of council publications - and indeed the way councils work with and provide information for the media - has improved substantially in recent years.

Again, I speak as someone who has worked both sides of the fence. The reader feedback I got when editing a civic newspaper showed that most people regard them as useful and informative and one of their main sources of information of what's happening in their community.

The fact that Darlington Council publishes its civic magazine monthly shows it takes its communications responsibilities seriously and that should be commended.

I am sure that neither public bodies like the police, nor private businesses would advertise in the Town Crier if it was the "propaganda rag" Mrs Jones claims it to be. The fact that so many organisations choose to spend their advertising budget on it rather suggests to me that it is a good quality publication providing a useful service and reflecting a lot of credit on the people who work hard to produce it.

MICHAEL CLARK Grange Avenue, Stockton-on-Tees