Council newspapers

Dear L Barnett

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000

Please find our response below.

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)

Chase Matters, two editions per year, distributed with a free newspaper to
around 40,000 homes and businesses

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

*15,000 - full amount was budgeted from council resources

3. How much of that cost is offset by advertising

No advertising

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

N/A

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

N/A

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

N/A

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

There is no editorial policy guide. Chase Matters content is determined by
the PR & Marketing team - the council's Corporate Plan and priorities, as
well as findings from the Citizens' Panel focus groups, are used to
determine the content.

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

N/A

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

One full-time employee - producing Chase Matters is one element of their
role. Other elements include all internal communications, including media
liaison work.

If you have any queries relating to how your request has been handled in
relation to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 please feel free to
contact me.

You can also complain to the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 700

www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Yours sincerely,

Information Manager

Cannock Chase Council

From: L Barnett [mailto:[FOI #25827 email]]
Sent: Sun 03/01/2010 16:26
To: Info Manager
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Council newspapers

Dear Cannock Chase District 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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