Some 210,000 copies of a special edition of the county council's View publication are being delivered to homes - with just over a week to go before public consultation on proposed changes is due to end.

Proposals include closing seven of the county's retained fire stations, including those in Warwick, Kenilworth and Fenny Compton.

But questions have been raised as to whether the magazine is a good use of money.

Shotteswell parish council clerk Val Ingram, who has been campaigning to keep Fenny Compton station open, said: "Given that the consultation ends next week, it's not giving people much time to read it.

"All the consultation meetings have ended so we cannot ask more questions anyway.

"It's a waste of money which could probably be better spent elsewhere."

Ms Ingram has not yet seen the publication, but a fellow campaigner in Kenilworth who received one through his door told her it was "propaganda magazine".

Ms Ingram said: "They can do other things to the same effect which cost much less money."

But she added: "I think the council is listening - Graeme Smith seems to be taking people's views on board.

"I don't believe the council thought there would be this much kick-back.

"It just shows how much people value the service."

A spokesman for the county council said the magazine was produced in response to requests from the public for more information about the proposals.

He said it cost £9,000 to print and £9,000 to distribute, adding: "It is important to weigh the value of the cost of this against the amount of residents who have received the information they need to make informed decisions to feed into the consultation process."

People can submit their views to the council until Monday December 7. Call 410410 or go online.

www.warwickshire.gov.uk