Public notices must move with the times: Bedford Independent’s response to proposed licensing changes

For decades, local businesses applying for alcohol licences have been required to publish public notices in print newspapers. Bedford Borough Council is required to publish its own statutory notices in print, often at a similarly high cost. Some have suggested that a new national Public Notice Portal could host all statutory notices. Public notices may sound technical, but they are a cornerstone of local democracy. The questions relating to how public notices are advertised 16-19.