Screenshot of BBC News website
The BBC has proposed increased online news coverage of Cheshire in response to a local journalist's long-running campaign.

Tamsin O'Brien, head of BBC regional news in the North West, confirmed last Friday on NewsWatch that plans had been submitted to the BBC Trust for approval, which would see a 'more comprehensive local service for Cheshire online'.

O'Brien said the current service providing local content from the BBC for Cheshire, which is one of the only counties not covered by a dedicated BBC local website, was 'not good enough'.

The proposal was confirmed by a BBC spokesperson, who said it was part of wider plans submitted to the Trust to improve local coverage online.

"We are currently working on a UK wide proposal to enhance and develop our local BBC websites. The proposals are likely to include a dedicated site for Cheshire," the spokesperson said.

The announcement by O'Brien was prompted by freelance journalist Louise Bolotin, who has campaigned for a BBC news site for Cheshire for the last two years.

Speaking to Journalism.co.uk, Bolotin said a BBC website for the county could fill a gap in local news coverage.

"Almost all the local press around the county is published weekly, meaning it's really hard to get daily updates from anywhere as to what's happening newswise," she said.

Bolotin, who appeared alongside O'Brien on NewsWatch, challenged the need for approval for a Cheshire site from the BBC Trust.

"I think Tamsin O'Brien is to be commended for putting it to the BBC Trust to correct the historical oversight. However, I'm not at all convinced that it is 'inappropriate' to make any changes in the interim," she said.

"None of the licence payers across the rest of England had to wait for proposal approval to get a county page on News Online or to have increased TV and radio coverage.

"I think Cheshire licence payers are going to really struggle to understand why it is 'inappropriate' to give them equality of news coverage now, when the structures are already in place, at least for a news feed online."

O'Brien said the corporation would know by the end of the year whether the proposals for Cheshire could go ahead.

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