WALTHAM FOREST: Tories slam council publicity spend (From This Is Local London)

WALTHAM FOREST: Tories slam council publicity spend

10:42am Wednesday 13th August 2008 in Local Politics

This year’s accounts for Waltham Forest Council reveal that £1.485 million of tax-payers’ money was spent on publicity.

Section 5 of the Local Government Act requires a local authority to keep a separate account of its expenditure on publicity, and this year nearly £1.5m was spent – an increase of £46,000 since 2006/07.

Included in this total was £493,828 spent on recruitment advertising – a legal requirement.

However, the leader of the Conservative group maintains that the amount spent on publicity is “excessive” and wants to see that money put back into public services and the arts.

In May, Cllr Matt Davis proposed that one million pounds of the money being spent on publicity be directed into re-opening St James’s Street Library, and paying for more staff and increased opening hours at the William Morris Gallery which, he calculated, would still leave the council with change.

Cllr Davis said: “It is excessively high and I have been annoyed about it for a considerable time.

“Unfortunately we seem to be operating under a culture where the Labour party doesn’t mind how badly they run the borough providing they tell everyone that everything is wonderful. Everything is not wonderful.

“That money should be going on public realm services and arts and culture, both of which people in the borough care about a lot and under performing.”

Overall, the year’s accounts show that the council has strengthened its financial position and increased its reserves.

The total revenue expenditure for the service departments, which includes adult and community services, the chief executive’s department and the environmental and regeneration services, among others, was £194,616,000, which is £185,000 below budget.

As in previous years, the authority has managed to keep its spending below the agreed budget, with no major unplanned spending.

In a file headed People, Policy and Performance, the audit revealed that £750,000 was of the net expenditure went on communications, which includes internal and external communications and the fortnightly council newspaper WFM.

WFM cost £462,094 to produce, but the council insists £586,230 is recouped through advertising sales and provides better value for taxpayers..

Cllr Davis added: “There is very little external advertising in WFM.

“So this statement is misleading because most charges they levy are to other parts of the council.”

You can see the accounts by visiting the town hall, in Forest Road, before September 8.