FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT:

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON COUNCIL NEWSPAPER

Dear L Barnett,

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information request dated 4^th January 2010. With regard to the specific questions you have raised the responses are as follows:

1. Burnley Council produces a council magazine called Burnley Voice. It is distributed twice a year to every house in the borough (approx 41,000)

2. It costs approximately £10,000 to produce and distribute each magazine, the annual budget for the current year (2009/ 10) is £20,000.

3. We attempt to offset costs by offering advertising space in the magazine. How much that raises depends on the take-up. In the last edition we raised £225 through advertising.

4. In terms of Burnley Voice any reference to advertising means advertising by external organisations.

5. We offer advertising space to a range of external partners. They include the police and PCT but to date none have taken advertising space.

6. Recruitment advertising does not form part of the advertising space.

7. We do not have a written editorial policy guide regarding written content of Burnley Voice. However editorial articles are restricted to work and services either provided directly by the Council or which are delivered in partnership.

8. There is no written policy guidance regarding advertising. However our policy is to have final say on whether or not an advert is appropriate or not. We would refuse any advertising request deemed inappropriate or liable to be offensive to our residents.

9. A Public Relations officer acts as editor, and also produces the majority of content. A Graphic Designer designs the page layout and composition. An estimate of hourly costings per addition for these activities is as follows: Graphics £1,900 (approx 50 hours at £38 per hour) and Editorial £1,450 (approx 50 hours at £29 per hour).

You may, if dissatisfied with the treatment of your request, ask the council to conduct a review of its decision under the council's complaints procedure. The review will be carried out by someone who has not been involved in dealing with your request for information. Please e-mail or write if you would like a review.

If, following the review, you remain dissatisfied with the council's treatment of your request then you may take your complaint to the Information Commissioner at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Gay

Policy Manager

01282 477 163 [email address]

2

Burnley Borough Council

Town Hall, Manchester Road

Burnley, Lancashire BB11 1JA

Tel: 01282 477163

Email: [email address]