Richmond Council is refusing to back down over its decision to scrap the youth magazine Outskirts despite protests against the move.
More than 200 people have joined the 'Save Outskirts youth magazine' group on social networking site Facebook since it was set up just over a fortnight ago.
However, council leader Nicholas True this week insisted he would not reverse his decision to axe the council magazine, which costs £36,000 a year to produce.
He said he had talked to those involved with the magazine about keeping it going in some form, possibly online.
"If we can find a way of helping them continue their work we will look at that, but what we won't do is to continue to publish a magazine costing £36,000 a year on the rates," he said.
Outskirts, a quarterly magazine produced for young people by young people, was introduced two years ago by the former Lib Dem administration. It was sent out with the now defunct Arcadia magazine, but the final issue is due to be distributed at schools, colleges and youth clubs later this month.
Former editor Amy Feltham, who has volunteered at the magazine since it was set up, said scrapping it would rob young people across the borough of a voice.
"Outskirts is a good way of letting young people know about services and events they might not otherwise have realised were available," said the 17-year-old nursery worker, of Ormond Drive, Hampton. "Previous editions have included information about important issues like HIV and teen pregnancy. Outskirts is more acceptable to pick up in front of your friends than an NHS leaflet.
"It's not just about giving a voice to the 15 people working on the magazine, it's about representing the views of the thousands of young people across Richmond."
Lib Dem youth spokeswoman Councillor Ellen Day criticised the Conservative council for failing to consult young people before making the decision.
She said distributing the magazine via schools, colleges and youth clubs would slash costs by a third, which she described as 'a small price to pay for such an enormously valued and unique publication'.
