Council newspapers

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January 2010

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1. http://www.arun.gov.uk/

Dear Ms Barnett,

Thank you for your recent FOI request. 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)

Arun Times is the name of Arun District Council's magazine. Arun Times is produced three times a year and circulated to each household in Arun - approx 70,000.

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 cost of producing and distributing the newspaper for the last full financial year was £23, 148.56. The current annual budget (minus staff salaries) for 09/10 is £21,010, all of which is funded by the local authority.

3. How much of that cost is offset by advertising

The advertising revenue for the last full financial year was £2,797.50 (there is a rule that no more than 15% of the editorial space, or £2,000, be sold as advertising)

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

All of the advertising is from external sources.

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

In the last financial year West Sussex PCT has paid to run advertising (swine flu information) and so has Worthing Theatres, run by Worthing Borough Council (pantomime advert).

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

Arun Times terms of reference/priorities

Criteria:

1) Arun Times is a 16-page magazine that is produced three times a year: one in spring with the Council Tax information, one in summer (usually July), and one in winter (usually end of November/beginning of December).
2) Space for up to £2,000 (net) worth of advertising is allocated for each issue to help finance the publication.
3) The main editorial section of the magazine is provisionally sourced and allocated space by the Public Relations team, who will meet with the other members of the Editorial Board to agree these allocations before beginning work on copy.
4) The Editorial Board will consist of one Member from each political party, as well as the PR team and the Print Plus design team.
5) Stories will be allocated space against a set of criteria agreed by the Editorial Board members:

Stories will take priority over others if they:

- help to promote Arun Priorities and relevant issues
- contain essential information that needs to reach all Arun residents
- inform the public of changes within the Council, changes in process
- promote the Council in a positive light but has not been reported by the local media
- they are from within the Council itself and offers an opportunity to promote something to residents that could otherwise go unnoticed

ARUN TIMES

The public relations team is responsible for the production of Arun Times, the Council's magazine.

Arun Times has an all-party editorial board which works to clear terms of reference which include the requirement to achieve political balance within the publication. The Editorial Board play an active role in overseeing the advertising for the publications, deciding upon the ratio of advertising per edition and the distribution method. Any ideas for future issues of Arun Times, or comments on its content, format or distribution, are always welcomed by the Editorial Board and public relations team.

ARUN TIMES - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The Council's Policy and Resources Committee on June 28th 2000 agreed to the introduction of a Council publication with four editions a year for a trial period of one year. The aims and objectives of such an initiative were:

Ÿ To create the opportunity for regular communication / dialogue with residents i.e. to build an on-going relationship with the residents the Council serves

Ÿ To provide a chance to establish an Arun publication which local people will be able to recognise and identify with, which is bright, colourful and easy to read

Ÿ To achieve cost savings on the current uncoordinated production of ad hoc leaflets and brochures produced for delivery to every household in the district

Ÿ To reinforce the Council's corporate identity / image

Ÿ To provide improved opportunities to create a more informed public on how issues such as Best Value and new political management structures may affect them.

EDITORIAL BOARD

The Arun Times Editorial Board consists of a member from each of the four party groups. The Editorial Board works to terms of reference which include responsibility for maintaining the political "balance" of the publication and advising the PR team on issues of corporate importance.

They meet after the publication of each issue to feedback views gathered from fellow Members and constituents and to agree the content for the next issue. They also receive draft copy and proofs prior to publication.

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
A: There are three main staff members that produce the magazine: the two Public Relations Officers and the Principal Designer, who are all permanent staff members funded by the Council. None of the staff works full time on the magazine; it is simply just one of the many roles performed by them throughout the year. The public relations staff report directly to a marketing and communications manager who reports to the head of service this area falls under (Head of Strategy, Partnership, Economic and Cultural Development).

Arun Times terms of reference/priorities

Criteria:

1) Arun Times is a 16-page magazine that is produced three times a year: one in spring with the Council Tax information, one in summer (usually July), and one in winter (usually end of November/beginning of December).
2) Space for up to £2,000 (net) worth of advertising is allocated for each issue to help finance the publication.
3) The main editorial section of the magazine is provisionally sourced and allocated space by the Public Relations team, who will meet with the other members of the Editorial Board to agree these allocations before beginning work on copy.
4) The Editorial Board will consist of one Member from each political party, as well as the PR team and the Print Plus design team.
5) Stories will be allocated space against a set of criteria agreed by the Editorial Board members:

Stories will take priority over others if they:

- help to promote Arun Priorities and relevant issues
- contain essential information that needs to reach all Arun residents
- inform the public of changes within the Council, changes in process
- promote the Council in a positive light but has not been reported by the local media
- they are from within the Council itself and offers an opportunity to promote something to residents that could otherwise go unnoticed

ARUN TIMES (from PR Guide)

The public relations team is responsible for the production of Arun Times, the Council's magazine.

Arun Times has an all-party editorial board which works to clear terms of reference which include the requirement to achieve political balance within the publication. The Editorial Board play an active role in overseeing the advertising for the publications, deciding upon the ratio of advertising per edition and the distribution method. Any ideas for future issues of Arun Times, or comments on its content, format or distribution, are always welcomed by the Editorial Board and public relations team.

ARUN TIMES - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The Council's Policy and Resources Committee on June 28th 2000 agreed to the introduction of a Council publication with four editions a year for a trial period of one year. The aims and objectives of such an initiative were:

Ÿ To create the opportunity for regular communication / dialogue with residents i.e. to build an on-going relationship with the residents the Council serves

Ÿ To provide a chance to establish an Arun publication which local people will be able to recognise and identify with, which is bright, colourful and easy to read

Ÿ To achieve cost savings on the current uncoordinated production of ad hoc leaflets and brochures produced for delivery to every household in the district

Ÿ To reinforce the Council's corporate identity / image

Ÿ To provide improved opportunities to create a more informed public on how issues such as Best Value and new political management structures may affect them.

EDITORIAL BOARD

The Arun Times Editorial Board consists of a member from each of the four party groups. The Editorial Board works to terms of reference which include responsibility for maintaining the political "balance" of the publication and advising the PR team on issues of corporate importance.

They meet after the publication of each issue to feedback views gathered from fellow Members and constituents and to agree the content for the next issue. They also receive draft copy and proofs prior to publication.

I trust this deals with your request satisfactorily.

Kind regards

Sue

Sue Fairs-Browning
Chief Internal Auditor
01903 737561

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