ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL CONTINUOUSLY LIE TO THE PEOPLE OF ESSEX

Essex County Council is the subject of a major investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority following a series of lying adverts in Essex newspapers in the run-up to the County Council elections.

The startling development follows the publication of these adverts which are designed to mislead the Essex public and promote an untrue view of the Council’s activities.  The adverts include untruthful claims about this year’s Council Tax and also the number of Post Offices reopened in Essex.  All the adverts are factually incorrect.

Speaking about the Advertising Authority’s investigation Cllr Paul Kirkman, Leader of the Labour Group and Leader of the Opposition said:

“The fact that the Advertising Standards Authority are investigating Essex County Council because of a series of untruthful advertisements is a disgraceful indictment of the Council’s Marketing Department.  The Advertising Standards Authority have already formally written to Essex County Council over the first untruthful advertisement telling them not to do it again.  The Council have ignored the Advertising Standards Authority and have issued another lying advert.

This is totally unacceptable at all levels and brings the Council into serious disrepute.  I have complained most strongly to the Chief Executive and the Council’s Monitoring Officer over the issue.  I am demanding a full official enquiry by the Chief Executive into the Council’s Marketing activities as a matter of great urgency.  At best, this is gross incompetence; at worst, it is a deliberate campaign of grossly misleading the Essex public only 2 months away from the County Council elections.”

Back ....