But that role could be undermined by cost-cutting proposals from the SNP Government to end the requirement for councils to place public notices in the local press.

Instead, they would be able to advertise information such as planning applications and road closures on their own websites.

The plans have come in for strong criticism from politicians in north east Fife, who argue that local people without internet access could be cut out of the democratic process, while the newspaper industry itself fears the loss of millions in advertising revenue and, potentially, a number of individual titles.

A motion to oppose the measure following a debate at Holyrood last Thursday received cross-party support, with 76 MSPs voting in favour of the motion and 48 against.

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith described the plans as "ill thought out" and highlighted the importance of the Fife Herald and St Andrews Citizen to their local communities.

He said: "This would sound the death knell for many papers in remote and rural communities across Scotland.

"Weekly newspapers such as the Fife Herald and St Andrews Citizen that serve my constituency are an essential source of community news and information."

Mr Smith, who is also the Scottish Liberal Democrats' culture spokesperson, said that local newspapers were central to the democratic process, and that people would be unlikely to browse the internet for public notices.

He continued: "It is often only through the pages of local newspapers that there is any debate about how a council is performing.

"It can also be the only place where community views on local planning issues are aired.

"If these proposals go ahead there will be no local press to scrutinise anything."

Fellow MSP, Ted Brocklebank, made an impassioned speech during the debate in support of local newspapers.

The Tory representative for Mid-Scotland and Fife — a former journalist himself — highlighted a recent government survey which revealed that nine out of 10 pensioners and nearly half of single parents had no access to the internet.

He added: "These proposals have not been properly thought through and clearly have everything to do with governmental cost-cutting and little or nothing to do with keeping all sectors of the public informed."

SNP politician Jim Mather, the government's enterprise minister, said the consultation period on the proposals would end on February 12.