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The editorial policy below clarifies the objectives of the paper and sets out the process by which editorial content is decided upon.
Objectives of the council's weekly newspaper:
To communicate the council's policies, initiatives and successes
To enhance residents' ability to access local services by providing information about services, meetings, advice, in the language or format which they need
To celebrate the diversity of the borough and promote racial harmony and community cohesion
To encourage engagement in democratic processes and community initiatives
To encourage democratic engagement with young people and to give a platform for their achievements and successes
To develop a sense of identity for the borough and therefore with the council
To encourage debate on issues involving the council and the community eg crime and crime reduction initiatives, drugs, community cohesion
To create an understanding of the responsibilities and work of the council and of councillors
To promote the activities and role of the Tower Hamlets Partnership
To promote a positive image of the community and the borough
To improve equality of opportunity by promoting the services available from the council and from the local voluntary and community sector
To engage residents in the cultural activities of the borough.
Editorial Policy
1. Editorial is defined as news, features, information, anything that is not a paid-for advertisement. Where an advert is guaranteed a place in a specific issue of the newspaper, copy submitted as news is not.
2. Discretion over topics covered, style, content and presentation rests with the editor, and in her absence, the deputy editor, with the approval of the head of communications and/or the assistant to the chief executive. Judgements are made within the restraints of the Local Government Act 1988 and council policies and priorities. The council has agreed that East End Life should function with professional independence, within the objectives set out above and with the oversight of the deputy leader, who holds the communications portfolio. Vetting of stories or features before they are published is impractical on a weekly publication, although standard fact-checking is carried out and a reasonable oversight given when appropriate.
3, East End LIfe is designed within the style of the corporate identity and has an agreed editorial 'house' style for copy.
4, There is also a recognised photographic content and style in line with editorial policy. Use of pictures is designed to reflect the multi-cultural diversity of the community.
5 Stories are selected on their news value and the information they give residents about issues, eg community safety, anti-racism initiatives, healthy eating schemes. Priority is given to council news and information.
6 News and information is published on the Harmony pages in Bengali and Somali each week with priority given to council stories.
7 There is no guarantee that an article or feature will appear in a specific issue although content is planned within the framework of a forward plan of features based around the council priorities, agreed with the directorates.
8 East End Life operates within the Code of Recommended Conduct on Local Authority Publicity (as amended in 2001). It cannot be used as a platform for individual councillors. The leader, deputy leader, lead members and scrutiny chairs are quoted where appropriate.
9 No political material is accepted and no information promoting a particular councillor or party can be covered, in compliance with the Code of Recommended Conduct on Local Authority Publicity (April 2001).
Regular columns are published giving advice and information on council and other services deemed appropriate to the council's own priorities. Other “guest” writers” may also contribute topical columns on specific events where suitable.
Letters are invited in response to specific council campaigns to encourage debate and discussion with the community, in line with the emphasis on more open government and the aims of the Community Plan. Publication is at the editor's discretion.
Court stories are used where appropriate with details of defendants published in accordance with the law. Reports of anti-social behaviour orders are also published in accordance with the law, which allows for juveniles to be named. The council currently has a policy to name perpetrators.