The Conservative party has criticised Town Hall leadership for continuing to breach government legislation around the frequency of its "self-serving" freesheet.

A week ago today, Waltham Forest Council's chief executive Martin Esom was issued with a final notice by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to comply with legislation restricting Waltham Forest News (WFN) to quarterly. 

The taxpayer-funded newspaper costs around £500,000 to produce its 23 or so copies a year to 97,000 households, but the council was told earlier this year it must be wound down. 

Paul Rowsell of the DCLG has rejecting the council's argument set out in April to say WFN is the 'most cost effective' to publish statutory notices with Secretary of State Eric Pickles warning the council must comply no later than January 1 2015. 

For years, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors have opposed the cost, content and frequency of WFN labelling it as 'Labour propaganda'. 

Conservative leader cllr Matt Davis for Chingford Green ward said: "Waltham Forest Conservatives find it incredible that the Labour party, who wish to introduce a council tax support scheme that will be the most expensive in London for residents and hit the most vulnerable the hardest, can still find money to produce the self serving WFN despite having been clearly told by Government to stop.

"Bearing in mind that Waltham Forest is always very quick to take enforcement action against residents who break the council's rules, it is grossly hypocritical of the Labour Leadership to continue to ignore the Government's rules ‎solely for party political propaganda reasons. 

"As ever with Labour, it is one rule for them and a different one for everybody else."

The government warns legal action could be taken against Waltham Forest and ten other London councils if they fail to stop or justify actions for non-compliance with the Publicity Code.

A council spokeswoman said: "We will consider the Secretary of State’s latest letter and respond accordingly."