Freesheets to face Westminster marketing restrictions and recycling agreement

Associated Newspapers and News International are expected to face rigorous marketing restrictions as part of their agreement with Westminster City Council to tackle the increased rubbish from the afternoon freesheets.

Westminster City Council has reached an agreement with Associated, which owns London Lite, (left) and NI, which publishes thelondonpaper, on a voluntary clean-up scheme after months of difficult negotiations between the two sides.

As part of the agreement, the publishers will provide and monitor 40 council-approved recycling bins to help clear up excess litter from the freesheets. But the council today says it will have the final word on the freesheets using the recycling bins to market their brands.

It says: “Any branding on the bins by the publishers will also require advertising consent.”

Councilor Alan Bradley, cabinet member for street environment, adds: “I’m confident we’ll see the benefit of all the hard work put into this once the relevant planning and advertising consents have been obtained and new bins delivered.”