Council newspaper

L Barnett made this Freedom of Information request to Lambeth Borough Council

The request was successful.

From: L Barnett

3 January 2010

Dear Lambeth Borough Council,

Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act, I wish to
receive the following information from your authority:

1. The name, frequency and distribution/circulation of your council
newspaper (by council newspaper I mean the most frequently
published newspaper or magazine intended for mass distribution
covering more than one topic)

2. How much it cost to produce and distribute said newspaper in the
last full financial year, and how much was budgeted from council
resources in the financial year 2009/2010

3. How much of that cost is offset by advertising

4. How much of that advertising, if any, comes from external
sources (ie not from your authority's budgets)?

5. Which other public sector partners pay to run advertising in
your newspaper, eg PCTs?

6. Whether recruitment advertising forms part of the advertising in
your newspaper?

7. A copy of an editorial policy guide, if one exists, which
governs the material which is placed in the newspaper, and how it
is decided

8. A copy of an advertising policy guide, if one exists, which
governs what sort of advertising is suitable.

9. The number of people employed to put your newspaper/newsletter
together, including total cost and staff organisation chart

Some parts of this request may be easier to answer than others, and
should this prove to be the case I would ask that you release
available data as soon as possible rather than hold up the entire
request.

I would prefer to receive this information electronically. If the
decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in
Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.

If you need any clarification then please contact me at the email.
Under your section 16 duty to provide advice and assistance I would
expect you to contact me if you find this request unmanageable in
any way.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have
received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you in
the near future.

Yours faithfully,

L Barnett

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

4 January 2010

Dear L Barnett

FOI Acknowledgement

Thank you for your FOI Request, as below. Please quote our ref 123751 in
any further correspondence about this request.

We anticipate responding within the statutory period of 20 working days
following the date of receipt, in this case by 01/02/10.

Thank you for your interest in Lambeth Council.

Richard Gardner

Information Compliance Adviser

London Borough of Lambeth

ICT Services

Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741

www.lambeth.gov.uk

3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5SD

Lambeth - Making a difference

show quoted sections

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

2 February 2010

Dear L Barnett

FOI 123751 Response

1. The name, frequency and distribution/circulation of your council
newspaper (by council newspaper I mean the most frequently published
newspaper or magazine intended for mass distribution covering more than
one topic)?

The name of Lambeth Council's freesheet newspaper is "Lambeth Life". It is
now published fortnightly both as traditional hard copy and on our
website. In the past the frequency was monthly. Current and past editions
can be viewed online at:-[1]http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/News/LambethLi...

2. How much it cost to produce and distribute said newspaper in the last
full financial year, and how much was budgeted from council resources in
the financial year 2009/2010?

The net cost position of Lambeth Life in 2004-5 was £123k, in 2005-6 was
159k, in 2006-7 was 174k, in 2007-8 150k and in 2008-9 it was 289k. In the
final year we changed from a monthly to a fortnightly publication.

3. How much of that cost is offset by advertising?

The revenue in 2004-5 was £31k, in 2005-6 it was £67k, in 2006-7 it was
£95k, in 2007-8 it was 77k and in 2008-9 it was £258k. This current
financial year is not yet ended and we are in the process of invoicing
therefore the figures are incomplete.

4. How much of that advertising, if any, comes from external sources (ie
not from your authority's budgets)?

There is a fluctuating mix of public information notices and commercial
advertising.

5. Which other public sector partners pay to run advertising in your
newspaper, eg PCTs?

None

6. Whether recruitment advertising forms part of the advertising in your
newspaper?

There have been no job advertisements in recent editions

7. A copy of an editorial policy guide, if one exists, which governs the
material which is placed in the newspaper, and how it is decided?

This is decided on the professional judgement of the editorial staff in
consultation with senior management.

8. A copy of an advertising policy guide, if one exists, which governs
what sort of advertising is suitable?.

This is decided on the professional judgement of the editorial staff in
consultation with senior management.

9. The number of people employed to put your newspaper/newsletter
together, including total cost and staff organisation chart

4 staff - an editor, a reporter, an advertising manager and a sub-editor

Right to Review

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which your Freedom of Information
request has been dealt with you can request an internal review by
emailing: [email address] (Please quote the reference number
above) or by writing to:

Corporate Complaints Manager

Lambeth Town Hall

Brixton Hill

Brixton

SW2 1RW

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the review you have a
further right to appeal to the Information Commissioner, who regulates the
implementation of the Freedom of Information Act. The Commissioner can be
contacted at the following address:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Enquiry line: 01625 545745

Thank you for your interest in Lambeth Council.

Richard Gardner

Information Compliance Adviser

London Borough of Lambeth

ICT Services

Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741

[2]www.lambeth.gov.uk

3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5BF

Lambeth - Making a difference

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Gardner1,Richard
Sent: 04 January 2010 10:57
To: 'L Barnett'
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Council newspaper

Dear L Barnett

FOI Acknowledgement

Thank you for your FOI Request, as below. Please quote our ref 123751 in
any further correspondence about this request.

We anticipate responding within the statutory period of 20 working days
following the date of receipt, in this case by 01/02/10.

Thank you for your interest in Lambeth Council.

Richard Gardner

Information Compliance Adviser

London Borough of Lambeth

ICT Services

Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741

www.lambeth.gov.uk

3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5SD

Lambeth - Making a difference

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Timothy Sutton left an annotation ( 2 February 2010)

The reply concerning external/internal advertising seems very vague.

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From: L Barnett

22 February 2010

Dear Gardner1,Richard,

Thanks for your response. Please could you clarify:

The distribution numbers (this was not answered)
The cost of staffing (this was not answered)
The split between council and external advertising for the last
full year in which figures are available

Thanks

Yours sincerely,

L Barnett

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

23 February 2010

Dear L Barnett

Thank you for your further email. I will ask my colleagues in Communications team to provide the clarification that you seek by the 2nd of March.

Richard Gardner
Information Compliance Adviser
London Borough of Lambeth
ICT Services
Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741
www.lambeth.gov.uk
3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5BF

Lambeth - Making a difference

show quoted sections

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From: L Barnett

15 March 2010

Dear Gardner1,Richard,

Hello. Do you have any information to update with? Your last email
said you'd have more information by March 2?

Yours sincerely,

L Barnett

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

16 March 2010

Dear L Barnett

I have emailed my colleague Victoria Hardman (Head of Media Relations)
urgently reminding her to get back to you as she had promised. She works
in a different department and building from me.

Richard Gardner
Information Compliance Adviser
London Borough of Lambeth
ICT Services
Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741
www.lambeth.gov.uk
3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5BF

Lambeth - Making a difference

show quoted sections

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

22 March 2010

Dear L Barnett

Further to our previous FOI response, below is the further information
that you require. Thank you for your interest in Lambeth Council.

Richard Gardner

Information Compliance Adviser

London Borough of Lambeth

ICT Services

Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741

[1]www.lambeth.gov.uk

3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5BF

Lambeth - Making a difference

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Hardman,Victoria
Sent: 19 March 2010 17:45
To: Gardner1,Richard
Cc: Bellas,Dominique
Subject: FOI 123751 : Freedom of Information request - Council newspaper

Richard,

Sorry for the delay, additions to FOI thus:

The distribution numbers (this was not answered)

· ABC audit circulation figure: 116,839

The cost of staffing (this was not answered)

o Cost of 4 staff = £151,012.53

The split between council and external advertising for the last full year
in which figures are available

o From mar 2009-mar 2010 Lambeth Life ad revenue was split as follows:

External sources - 13.64%

Internal sources - 12.62%

Thanks

Vicky

Previous response below:

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From: L Barnett

22 March 2010

Dear Gardner1,Richard,

Thanks for your recent reply. I'm a bit confused about the split
between external and internal advertising sources - surely the
total % sure be 100%?

Yours sincerely,

L Barnett

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

23 March 2010

Dear L Barnett

My interpretation of this is:-

o external advertising revenue =  13.64% of total funding

o internal advertising revenue =  12.62% of total funding

o council subsidy              =  73.74% of total
funding

o total funding                = 100.00%

On this basis internal advertising can be viewed as a hidden extra subsidy
in that it is a recharge to other council budgets for events publicity,
job adverts, statutory notices etc. However looking at it another way
those adverts would have otherwise cost similar amounts to place in
commercial publications to achieve the same coverage.

Applying these percentages (or similar figures in other years) to the
money figures previously quoted the advertising revenue yield and net
subsidy cost in cash terms can be derived.

Richard Gardner

Information Compliance Adviser

London Borough of Lambeth

ICT Services

Finance & Resources

 

tel: 020 79267741

www.lambeth.gov.uk

3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5BF

 

Lambeth - Making a difference

 

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From: Ella Cope
Lambeth Borough Council

29 March 2010

Please note, the information in the previous statement is
incorrect. For a clarification of Lambeth Life costs and revenue
please read on. This is the correct infomation for the 12 month
period Mar 2009- Apr 2010 (figures just in).

Lambeth Life does NOT receive a 73.74% council subsidy to pay for
its production. I can confirm that the council subsidy is 28.33%
and the remaining 71.67% of costs are paid for from advertising
revenue.

The figures in the previous statement by Richard Gardner relate to
the percentage of Lambeth Life CONTENT, not it's finances.

TOTAL CONTENT = 100 percent of which: 73.74 percent is free
editorial content 12.62 percent is paid-for advertising from
internal sources) 13.64 percent is paid-for advertising (from
external sources)

LAMBETH LIFE FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN 2009-2010

TOTAL COST £562,443 (100 percent) of which £411,431 (73.15 percent)
is production costs, i.e. print, distribution etc and £151,012 is
staff costs (26.85 percent).

TOTAL REVENUE £562,443 (100 percent) of which £403,085 (71.67
percent) is from advertising and £159,358 (28.33 percent) is a
council subsidy.

If advertising revenue equals 100 percent, then 52 percent comes
from external sources and 48 percent comes from internal sources.

With an audited distribution of 116,538 (ABC Regional Jul-Dec 09)
Lambeth Life is London's biggest circulation, non-daily newspaper.

It is also the most cost effective it has ever been.

Ella Cope, Editor, Lambeth Life

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From: Gardner1,Richard
Lambeth Borough Council

29 March 2010

Dear L Barnett

I have been advised a correction as below to the FOI response I recently
sent you.

Richard Gardner

Information Compliance Adviser

London Borough of Lambeth

ICT Services

Finance & Resources

tel: 020 79267741

[1]www.lambeth.gov.uk

3rd Floor, Ivor House, 1 Acre Lane, London, SW2 5BF

Lambeth - Making a difference

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Cope,Ella
Sent: 29 March 2010 10:38
To: Timothy Sutton
Cc: Gardner1,Richard
Subject: The truth about Lambeth Life

Hi Tim,

I saw your post on Urban 75
[2]http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthr... and noticed
that the information on the "What Do They Know" website has been
misinterpreted by our FOI response team. The figures in the statement by
Richard Gardner relate to the percentage of Lambeth Life CONTENT, not its
finances.

For a clarification of Lambeth Life costs and revenue please read on.
This is the correct information for the 12 month period Mar 2009- Apr 2010
(figures just in).

Lambeth Life does NOT receive a 73.74% council subsidy to pay for its
production. I can confirm that the council subsidy is 28.33% and the
remaining 71.67% of costs are paid for from advertising revenue.

TOTAL CONTENT = 100 percent

of which:

73.74 percent is free editorial content

12.62 percent is paid-for advertising from internal sources)

13.64 percent is paid-for advertising (from external sources)

LAMBETH LIFE FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN 2009-2010

TOTAL COST £562,443 (100 percent)

of which £411,431 (73.15 percent) is production costs, i.e. print,
distribution etc and £151,012 is staff costs (26.85 percent).

TOTAL REVENUE £562,443 (100 percent)

of which £403,085 (71.67 percent) is from advertising and £159,358
(28.33 percent) is a council subsidy.

If advertising revenue equals 100 percent, then 52 percent comes from
external sources and 48 percent comes from internal sources.

With an audited distribution of 116,538 (ABC Regional Jul-Dec 09) Lambeth
Life is London's biggest circulation, non-daily newspaper.

It is also the most cost effective it has ever been.

Ella Cope

Editor, Lambeth Life

land: 020 7926 0472

mobile 07950 561 934

email: [3][email address]

visit: [4]www.lambeth.gov.uk/lambethlife

London Borough of Lambeth

Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1RW

Making a difference

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