Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
12 December 2008
12:0810879#1
I read today that councils are spending nearly £430 million a year on publicity.
Town halls have been laying out the cash on activities such as running press offices, promoting services, and advertising for jobs. On average, each council spent £965,986 last year - although six had a bill of more than £5 million.
The figures were obtained by pressure group the Taxpayers' Alliance using freedom of information laws.
Its chief executive Matthew Elliott insisted: "It is incredibly disappointing that, despite the economic downturn and the loss of millions in Icelandic Banks, local authorities are still spending nearly half a billion pounds a year on publicity. In the middle of a recession, councils need to cut back on propaganda and spin doctors and deliver savings to taxpayers."
So the big question is how much does Kent and Dover spend on these armies of spin doctors?
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 670- Registered: 23 Apr 2008
- Posts: 573
12 December 2008
12:5110882#2
According to the body you quote in your posting Marek, KCC is one of the highest spending councils which is interesting considering the amount of money they lost in the Icelandic Bank crash. Isn't it controlled by the party of no waste the Toies, or am I mistaken.
It would be interesting to know how much the DDC spend on their magazine which in my humble opinion is an utter waste of money. I wonder how many people actually read it.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
12 December 2008
12:5510883#3
Dave1
I read a figure of £1500 council taxpayers money had been splashed out on the glossy coffee table self promoting short shelf like brochure.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
12 December 2008
13:3410889#4
Just to be clear chaps..it was NOT the DDC who spent the money on the magazine. It is a DTC, ie...a Dover Town Council venture.
Yes Marek I heard a bit about this 'national publicity' story on R4 this morning. Almost all the publicity is of a "self congratulatory nature" according to the report I heard. But then I suppose thats what PR is about to some extent. They are not going to promote bad news about themselves.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
12 December 2008
18:2910901#5
I think it will be found that a very large proportion of the money is for statutory requirements - public notices have to be paid for in local newspapers, jobs have to be advertised all over the place, everyone expects a wizzy website that does everything, parking charges need to be advertised when changes, PEOPLE COMPLAIN when they aren't notified of things...... I an not saying though that the rest of the money is well spent !!
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
12 December 2008
20:2010908#6
we get these publications through the door, a lot of the stuff is self congratulatory, but also carries news about waste collections at holiday times and titbits of useful education.
paul is right about the statutory requirements, for example they may have a vacancy which a member of staff could move into easily, but unlike private businesses they have to advertise it.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
13 December 2008
08:2210917#7
That's right Howard and Paul.
It is a statutory obligation to communicate with the electorate.
DDC does not waste money, every penny is looked at; most if not all announcements are sent out to all and sundry, via DDC's in-house man in the news, Andy Steele.
The Dover @ your Service is printed on recycled paper.
Dover Town Council also have to communicate and one way to do it is to take some space in the Dover Life magazine (I don't like the title, but the magazine is a good one).
Good value I'd have thought.
Roger
13 December 2008
12:1610924#8
Waste really is a matter of opinion and subjectivity.............not just in this example, but across the board. It is a brave statement to make: we didn't waste any money.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
13 December 2008
13:5910927#9
whats new then,when has councills not wasted money answers any one.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 December 2008
14:1310930#10
Can I just say how about all the professional plans done over alot of years and then not acted on cost of them run into 1000s and 1000s of pounds, one alone cost £25000 some years ago and there have been more over the last years up to now.
Vic Matcham
