The Wrexham Connect
-
Posts
-
Issue 36 Summer 2012. ( the first issue was in 1997) This issue is better than most, it has the photographs and contact telephone numbers for all members of the new Council and states the new basic salary for each Councillor is £13,175 with additional monies for extra responsibilities. In other articles there is an explaination of the new responsibility for blocked private sewers moving from the Council to Dwr Cymru and a new Business App being available I the Library. Is it value for money ? How many people actually receive it and read it ? Originally I believe it was supposed to be self financing by taking advertisements, there doesn’t appear to be any now.
The QR code on the front takes you to the same publication on the Wrexham Council website!
There’s currently an ongoing debate on the utility of local council free papers in Wales with the Welsh Government set to review the code which allows them to be published.
We’ve just done a report on Wrexham Council’s Connect Magazine which costs £25,444 a year but recoups all costs via advertising. I just wanted to see what people thought of it, we’ve had mixed views from “spin” to “informative”.
It’s also interesting that some UK newspapers view it as unfair competition when they are partly subsidised by the requirement for councils to publish statutory notices.
Wrexham Council Spends £25,444 On Free Newspaper | Wrexham.com
@wrexview 1613 wrote:
Originally I believe it was supposed to be self financing by taking advertisements, there doesn’t appear to be any now.
Just had a look at the latest edition and you’re right, no ads in sight. Interesting considering that the BBC FOI says Connect is wholly funded by advertising. Currently seeking clarification on this one.
Received a bit more info on this costs stand at £45,894.71 with advertising income at £20,350, leaving a gap of around £25,000. Costs not met by advertising so contrary to what the BBC reported. We were told adverts are generally from other council departments so not strictly your typical newspaper ads e.g. Frankie and Bennys.
So in other words TOTALLY paid for by the Council. How has it managed to escape the budget cuts so far? What would £45,000 buy?
So over 15 years even allowing for cheaper publication costs at the beginning we are talking of a total spend in the region of £500,000.
@wrexview 1618 wrote:
What would £45,000 buy?
Another party, to celebrate the ring-road opening completely ? ;)
Autumn issue 37 is out, have you had a copy delivered? Have you actually read it? The piece on recycling is interesting, Wrexham is currently recycling almost 50% of its rubbish and the new target issued by the Welsh Assembly is 52% . Apparently if we all recycle an extra glass bottle and two extra newspapers per week the target will be easily reached! Problem for those who don’t buy newspapers and get their news online!
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
