Keeping in Touch Newpapers / Leaflets

[Disgusted of Marple]

... and for a view on that other great scientific debate of our times - curvature of the horizon and whether the earth is flat or spherical - well, you can theoretically see both ends of the UK from a high-flying plane so that's pretty much flat and, of course, the rest of the world is irrelevant!

UKIP: Complicated stuff made easy.

[Disgusted of Marple]

Any chance that the lack of UKIP leaflets through the door could be an environmentally-friendly effort to appeal to Green Party supporters without a candidate of their own? Likely not, from a party who's energy spokesman recently said that climate change was still "open to question".

[Duke Fame]

147k is about correct and as an investment it generates more than that into the local economy largely by ensuring people claim benefits to which they are entitled which they then spend locally.

Great logic, maybe we should hand out money to everyone for doing nothing.

[corium]

Is there actually any evidence it boosts benefits take up? I don't know but in my involvement with a scheme not so far away (but not Stockport) I never once heard of a council publication, or indeed council service,  directing anyone to our project aimed at increasing benefit take up, in fact the council concerned never gave us a penny directly towards this specific service despite our possession of robust evidence that we were bringing additional income of c 250k p.a. to the area.

 

[wheels]

Unusually sound comment

[Bowden Guy]

Great - we need to triple the number of issues.........

[wheels]

147k is about correct and as an investment it generates more than that into the local economy largely by ensuring people claim benefits to which they are entitled which they then spend locally.

[sgk]

What nonsense. LA communication are aimed clearly at increasing take up of Council services so keeping those services available. There are clear guideline of LA communications and to describe them as propaganda is just silly. Your Library and other services are still available in Stockport because this authority has worked hard to get people using such services.

I've not read this mailshot/magazine, but is it similar to "Stockport Review" which the council used to publish, at a cost of £147k each year ?

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/council_newspaper_233

[wheels]

I may be wrong but I suspect Haward and Darran are talking at cross purposes? I am sure that the Lib Dem newsletters where they say one thing in one part of the country, and the diametrically opposite point of view in a different constituency, are funded by the Party.

However, the propaganda newspapers (with multiple photos of the leading Councillors), published by Councils across the country, are indeed paid for by Council Tax payers. Strange how we can still afford them, really, what with the swinging cuts, austerity, cost of living crisis, back to the 1930s, blah blah blah.....

What nonsense. LA communication are aimed clearly at increasing take up of Council services so keeping those services available. There are clear guideline of LA communications and to describe them as propaganda is just silly. Your Library and other services are still available in Stockport because this authority has worked hard to get people using such services.

[Bowden Guy]

I may be wrong but I suspect Haward and Darran are talking at cross purposes? I am sure that the Lib Dem newsletters where they say one thing in one part of the country, and the diametrically opposite point of view in a different constituency, are funded by the Party.

However, the propaganda newspapers (with multiple photos of the leading Councillors), published by Councils across the country, are indeed paid for by Council Tax payers. Strange how we can still afford them, really, what with the swinging cuts, austerity, cost of living crisis, back to the 1930s, blah blah blah.....

[DarranPalmer]

There will be details in the council's expenses for the quarterly paper, can't remember it's name, off the top of my head, but it's just short of 130,000 homes it goes to.
There are other detials of costs to taxpayers that I can't mention at the moment, as we are still investigating but we will be asking questions at the next full council meeting, and people can view that live online or at the town hall if people wanted to attend in person.

[Howard]

It's worth looking at how much of council tax payers money is spent on those quarterly keeping in touch newspapers.

@DarranPalmer I was under the impression that "Liberally" and "In Touch" were paid for out of party funds. As you've alluded to it, can you point towards any resources that might tell us if it's council tax payers' money that funds them and how much? I would be particularly annoyed if this were the case.

[DarranPalmer]

And you have made no effort to keep in touch since.

Unlike the other parties we don't have tens of thousands of pounds to pump into leaflets/newsletters.
Infact last years local election leaflets, that volunteers and myself delivered, I paid for myself.
As for the letters that will be coming round soon, again the UKIP candidates have paid for them themselves.
It's worth looking at how much of council tax payers money is spent on those quarterly keeping in touch newspapers.

[wheels]

I've been following the discussions but didn't want to get involved. However I thought you may want to see the European election results for the Hazel Grove constituency. They are the most recent National election results.

UKIP.    28.14%
Con.     23.85%
Libdem 20.28%
Labour. 15%
Other.   12.73%

And you have made no effort to keep in touch since.