CALLS have been made for a council newsletter, which is delivered door-to-door across East Lothian, to be recalled and dumped as it is being distributed after the cut-off date for pre-election campaigning.

East Lothian Council’s spring Living edition has been published online, and print editions are being delivered across the county this week.

But the publication appears to breach the council’s own guidance on how it should act in the run-up to any council election.

Its guidance states: “Council newsletters and publications should not be published during the pre-election period. Routine publications advising on council services may be published during the pre-election period but cannot feature photography of or comments from any politicians or candidates.”

The local authority said it had not realised the pre-election period for the May 5 council elections would start so early and 40,000 copies of the newsletter were already printed when it began. The pre-election period is the time from when the election is officially announced to when it takes place.

East Lothian Council issued the formal announcement of its local government election on Monday, March 13, triggering the sensitive time when it is expected to adhere to strict guidelines to ensure officials cannot be seen to be biased.

The Living newsletter, believed to cost £8-9,000 to produce, features a front page story about the Labour-led council’s budget for the year which “protects vital services”.

It also features a photograph of council leader Willie Innes (Lab), who is standing for re-election, promoting the Capital Credit Union’s decision to open in council offices in Prestonpans, alongside quotes from him.

Councillor Norman Hampshire (Lab), who is also standing in the election, is pictured on pages 3 and 11 of the 16-page newsletter and quoted in one story, and Councillor John McMillan (Lab), another candidate, is pictured on page 13.

Councillor Donald Grant (Lab), who is standing down at the election, can be seen in a picture on the front of the newsletter and one inside.

And Councillor Shamin Akhtar (Lab), who is also standing, is quoted in an article on plans for the new Wallyford school.

Councillor Stuart Currie, leader of the SNP opposition group at the council, said he had asked for the distribution of the newsletter to be stopped and print editions destroyed.

And he revealed he had pre-warned council officials that the publication was not going to come out before the key March 13 deadline – but to no avail.

Mr Currie has now made a formal complaint about the publication to the Accounts Commission, which oversees the finances used in electioneering.

He said: “Despite the issue being raised by me some weeks ago, the council has just crashed on and it would seem that this publication is being delivered to households. I have received many complaints from SNP members and those of no party who are astonished that taxpayers’ funds can be used in this way. The guidance that the council issues to its own staff has clearly been breached.

“We have been left with little option other than to take our complaint to the proper authorities and we will be demanding an apportionment of the costs to the taxpayer be assigned to each Labour candidate who benefits from this publication. I would like to confirm that every SNP piece of literature is produced at no cost to the taxpayer.”

Mr Currie pointed out that when the SNP were in administration in the run-up to the 2012 local government election, they brought the spring newsletter out early to avoid a conflict.

They have pledged to scrap the newsletter if they are returned to power.

A spokesperson for the council said Living was a “routine, quarterly newspaper”, and insisted the councillors featured were in it because of their roles within the administration and not as ward representatives.

He said: “Living is a routine, quarterly newspaper which provides residents with information on council services and upcoming events. This edition includes important information on the council budget, which was set later than normal in February. Some stories – such as Easter holiday activities – have a limited shelf life. The newspaper is produced in line with the relevant code of practice on council publications.

“The only elected members featured are included because of their portfolio responsibilities and not as ward representatives.

“This edition, which is being distributed six weeks ahead of the council election, is a routine publication, and has been scheduled for over a year.

“At the time of planning this edition, we had been working on the basis that local authorities could set their own pre-election period, starting between March 13 and 22. It was subsequently announced, however, that the pre-election period in all council areas would start on March 13.

“As more than 40,000 copies are printed, the council engages the services of Royal Mail, who require sufficient time to arrange its bulk distribution throughout the county. This has to be formally scheduled months in advance and payment is committed.

“The council takes great care during pre-election periods to ensure compliance with the national code of practice, and internal guidance is subject to revision at the discretion of the chief executive. Given that printed copies of this edition were received by the council and published online before the start of the pre-election period, it was decided after careful consideration that, in the interests of ensuring best value for money and keeping residents informed of council activities, distribution would take place as planned.”

A spokesperson for Audit Scotland, which reports on behalf of the Accounts Commission, said: “I can confirm that we have received correspondence on this issue. The information has been shared with the local audit team, who are reviewing it to determine whether this is a matter for Audit Scotland”.