GLOBE readers have given an emphatic response to Wirral Council's decision to launch its own newspaper.

This week we revealed on our website that UK watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office is looking into a complaint against the council's refusal to disclose details of legal advice it was given over its decision to publish its own paper.

The problem the authority faces is that government "publicity code" rules stipulate town hall newspapers must only be published quarterly and should not resemble commercial newspapers.

But Wirral intends to publish 12 editions per year.

Here's what our readers think:

Commenting on our website bigfoot said: "Oh dear another car crash and the taxpayer will be paying for it.

"What next?

"Another bin story to take the focus from this?"

Natasha Eubank piled in with: "The council claims that the basis for this newspaper is that arising from the Ipsos Mori survey, Wirral residents did not feel that the council kept them sufficiently informed.

"1,207 Wirral residents took part in their Ipsos Mori survey.

"The survey stated that 58% of people responding felt that the council did not keep them sufficiently informed.

"58% of 1,207 = 700 people.

"So the council on the basis of the responses of 700 people (which represents less than 0.3% of Wirral’s population) is steaming ahead with a project that flies in the face of central government guidance."

Paul Ca wrote: "Worse, the 700 people answered a vague question about 'do you feel informed?'

"No mention of any plans to go into the dying newspaper/junk mail industry."

Angry of Oxton said: "If you put in a request for funding based on this small sample you would be laughed at."

Muggle said: "People who said they did not feel well-informed wanted the council to be more open, not try to hide information like this.

"They/we just want the council to answer questions when they're asked, not hide behind 'commercial' sensitivity.

"We paid for this legal advice so we should have access to it.

"This council is scared of us knowing what is going on and want all information to be filtered by their 'newspaper' editor.

"They twist. They turn.

"They don't want to tell us anything unless they are forced to. Makes you wonder just how much else they are hiding, doesn't it?"

WirralAl said: "This council thinks it can do what it wants and WE have to pay for the consequences of its own arrogance.

"We want to be kept informed what they are up to ,but not by some arrogant propaganda that they choose to tell us.

"No doubt it would be all lies and half truths. a bit like wasting all the money on this newsletter that only 700 people said they wanted to be better informed.

"Perhaps they should read the Wirral Globe who keep us up to date with what these power-crazed morons are doing!"

And mandylou wrote: "Another incredibly stupid decision from this backward-looking council.

"The costs involved will be huge and the advertising income will in no way cover it.

"These idiots are so full of self-ego, they believe every idea they come up with is fantastic and will argue black is white if the public or the ever-decreasing opposition raise a voice.

"Recently the New York Times - one of the biggest newspapers in the world - scaled back on its newspaper coverage due to lack of advertising income and huge falls in sales due to the many other means of access to information.

"Also their advertising costs are more than the free papers we already have on the Wirral who sometimes report the true facts of Wirral council's tawdry escapades.

"But these nutballs are pressing ahead with the publication - can't wait."

At a specially-called meeting of the full council last week, council leader Cllr Phil Davies said: “I still firmly believe there is an information deficit in this borough.

“I don’t believe it will compete with local newspapers and result in job losses. I completely reject that.

“I believe there is a strong business case for us doing this. There’s a very strong moral case.

“The Ipsos-Mori poll was very clear - 58% of residents did not feel the council kept them well-informed and parts of Wirral don’t feel they are informed at all."