Last December, the Department for Communities and Local Government invited councils, local newspapers and others to pilot ways of improving the provision of statutory notices to the public.

Key considerations are: making more people aware of statutory notices, making them easier to read, reducing costs, exploiting technology and preserving newspapers.

The newspaper publishers have major problems as traditional newspaper circulations and revenues continue to fall. They need every penny they can get while they strive mightily to take their businesses online.  On the other side, we have financially pressed councils seeking to save every penny they can, but legally required to spend millions on statutory advertising. Nothing much was happening, so Mr Pickles, rightly, has forced the hand of both parties with his initiative.  However….

No-one actually knows how much is spent on statutory advertisements.  Various estimates range from £26m - £40m to £67m per annum.