Wyre Voice

Editorial Policy

Corporate Communications Team

Update January 2009

Wyre Voice is the principal method of communication with residents of the borough. Published up to three times a year, it allows council and community news to be delivered directly to council tax payers. Research has shown that this is the public's preferred method for receiving council news and the more informed people feel on council services contributes to higher customer satisfaction levels.

This report sets out guidelines for the publication. This will ensure the publication's strategic aims are met with each edition, that high standards are maintained and that the publication has a sense of continuity.

Wyre Voice should be a readable, attractive publication which seeks to communicate the council's Vision - “to work with local communities to make Wyre a better place to live, work and visit”.

The council's corporate objectives and how they are being achieved will be reflected in the copy contained in Wyre Voice.

It would not be practical to include material on every department in every issue. However, where particular service units have identified a need for improved communication with residents, Wyre Voice can be used as a means of doing this.

Wyre Voice may also be used as an issues management tool, by explaining in detail issues which may not be treated fairly in the local press. However, it should only form part of ongoing issues management practice and should not be relied upon to “set the story straight”, due to its relatively infrequent publication.

Feedback from readers will be actively encouraged. This will mean seeking their views on the publication itself and on council issues and services, as well as encouraging them to take advantage of council services where appropriate eg microchipping of pets and taking part in competitions, surveys and writing about issues in the `Dear Ed' column

Ideas for features and submissions will be welcomed from members of Wyre Borough Council staff.

As Wyre Voice is delivered to every household in Wyre, it should contain items of interest to a wide cross-section of the community.

A balance must be struck between stories relating to the urban and rural parts of the borough.

Each edition should aim to contain the following elements:

In general, all copy should be focussed on what the subject means for the reader ie the resident, not what it means for the council.

House style for text in Wyre Voice will follow that contained in the council's Style Guide. Submitted copy will be altered as necessary to fit this style and the Public Relations Manager decision is final.

The page one photograph should be a strong image with news value (relating to a story inside) or one which clearly illustrates a specific aspect of life in Wyre. Non-specific location shots, for example a child sitting in a field, should be avoided. If a location is to be the focus of the photograph it should be clearly recognisable as Wyre. Again, a balance must be struck on the use of location shots from the urban and rural areas.

Simple line-up and “handshake” pictures should be avoided. Only in exceptional circumstances should groups of more than five people be used; in general, groups of three or less are ideal.

All photographs should include a clear caption naming the people pictured. The preferred format for captions is “One or two words: Details of who's in the photo and what they're doing” eg “Blooming marvellous: Children from Fleetwood High plant roses for the Fleetwood in Bloom competition”. This may occasionally have to be abandoned for reasons of space.

It is better to have one great photograph on a page than several less good ones. If we have a particularly attractive/creative photograph, efforts should be made to give it the space it deserves, even if this means the copy attached to it has to be cut slightly.

Every effort should be taken to present Wyre as an attractive place to live. Careful consideration should be given to the backdrop of any photograph of individuals. Offices in the Civic Centre in particular often provide poor backgrounds - could the person be taken outside instead?

ISteps should be taken to ensure all age groups are represented. Likewise, all sections of the community should be represented as part of the council's commitment to diversity..

The subjects of photographs taken for Wyre Voice will be asked to sign a release form stating that they are happy for their image to be reproduced in any publicity for Wyre Borough Council. These forms will be provided by the Corporate Communications Team.

Due to severe constraints on the funding available for photography, departments outside the Corporate Communications Team may be asked to contribute to the cost of photography where appropriate.

This will include occasions where:

Library photographs will be used where possible to save costs but care must be taken to ensure anyone pictured still works for the authority.

Deadlines for copy will be agreed at least three months prior to publication.

A deadline for submissions/ideas will be set by the Corporate Communications Team and circulated via a “corporate” email. This will be at least four weeks prior to the agreed copy deadline. Ideas submitted after this deadline will only be considered if the subject matter requires urgent attention eg CPA.

Management Team will inform the Corporate Communications Team of any medium or long-term issues which need to be incorporated into the publication. A forward planning list for each edition will be kept in the Wyre Voice folder, and added to as necessary.

All copy that has been amended by the Corporate Communications Team will be made available to those responsible (usually Directors) for a 24 hour period for factual checking. Queries about matters of style and presentation will be referred to the council's Style Guide (see Style, above).

Final proofs of each page layout are made available electronically. The first round of amendments - those of a typographical nature and relating to the layout of pages - will be done by the Corporate Communications Team

The final proofs will be signed off by the Public Relations Manager, or, in her absence, the Public Relations Assistant.

10. Alternative Formats

A CD version of each edition of Wyre Voice will be produced by the Corporate Communications Team to keep people with visual impairments informed of council news. This will be produced as soon as realistically practical after the print version is available. The CD will be available to download from Wyre Borough Council's website and will be posted out to households on request.

1

5