Derbyshire county council has faced criticism for its decision to withdraw cooperation from Eddie Bisknell, a journalist for Derbyshire Live, following a dispute over pothole reporting and a viral story about a garden gate. The Reform UK-run council has been accused of setting a "dangerous precedent" by refusing to engage with a reporter who is publicly funded to cover local democracy.
Background
The controversy began when Stephen Reed, the deputy leader of the Reform council, announced that Bisknell's inquiries would be ignored. This decision follows a similar ban imposed by a neighboring Reform council on journalists from a major local newspaper last year. Although the ban on the Nottingham Post was eventually lifted after legal threats, the situation in Derbyshire has raised concerns about media freedom.
The Pothole Dispute
The council had aimed to highlight a significant reduction in potholes, claiming the number had dropped from 12,000 in April to less than 700, the lowest recorded in over a year. However, Bisknell's reporting questioned the accuracy of these statistics, prompting the council's decision to cease engagement with him.
