Council newspapers

The request was partially successful.

Dear Ards 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

Ards Borough Council

Dear Sir/Madam,

Many thanks for your email of 3rd January 2010 requesting information on
the Council's magazine. The Council has begun the process of responding
to your request and will be in touch in the near future.

Many thanks,
Sarah Knott
Equality/Compliance Officer
Ards Borough Council
2 Church Street
Newtownards

028 9182 4075

Ards Borough Council

Dear Sir/Madam,

Many thanks for you email of 3rd January 2010 requesting information on
the Council's magazine. Please find answers to each of your queries in
bold 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)

The Council's magazine is called 'In Touch' and is distributed three times
a year (Spring, Summer and Autumn) to residents homes (circulation of
approximately 35,000 per issue)

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

2008-2009 costs for 3 issues were: *18,132.69

2009 - 2010 budget for the magazine is *18,600

3. How much of that cost is offset by advertising
None - the magazine contains no advertising

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

N/A - the magazine contains no advertising

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

N/A - the magazine contains no advertising

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

N/A - the magazine contains no advertising

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

No editorial policy guide exists.

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

No advertising policy guide exists.

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

The magazine is produced by the Council's Public Relations Officer as part
of normal operational duties, so no specific staff employed to prepare
each issue and no additional staff costs incurred.

I trust the above is of assistance, however I would like to advise you
that if you are not happy with the way your request has been dealt with,
an internal review can be sought through the office of the Chief
Executive. If you are still dissatisfied following the internal review
you can ask the Information Commissioner's Office to review the Council's
decision.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Knott
Equality/Compliance Officer
Ards Borough Council
2 Church Street
Newtownards

028 9182 4075