Haringey's publicity spending rockets by a whooping 331.2% in just ten years þ 11/12/07

A report from the highly-respected TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has revealed that spending by Haringey Council on publicity has rocketed by 331.2% -  from £844,000 in 1996-7 to £3,639,000 in 2006-7. It is the amongst the top 25 councils in the UK for, according to local Conservatives, spending money on“spinning”.

Justin Hinchcliffe, of Haringey Conservatives, commented:

“Council Tax bills in Haringey have gone through the roof. Essential services are being cut and repairs not being carried out because Labour says money is tight. It beggars belief that spending on publicity has rocketed by 331.2% in just ten years. Haringey is a lousy-run council and spinning, not providing excellent services, seems to top their political agenda”.

Key findings of the TPA report:

·          The average local authority spends almost £1 million (£985,000) on publicity.

·          The average local authority is spending double the amount on publicity than it did in 1996-97:

.         Without taking account of inflation the average local authority spent £430,000 on publicity ten years ago.  The average spend today is a 130 per cent increase on that 1996-97 figure

.         In today’s prices the average local authority spent £550,000 on publicity in 1996-97.  The average spend today is an 80 per cent increase in real terms on a decade ago.

·          The total local authority publicity bill is £450 million.

·          There is one local authority, Birmingham City Council,  that spends more than £10 million on publicity.

·          There are 8 local authorities spending more than £5 million on publicity.

·          There are 73 local authorities spending more than £2 million on publicity.

·          There are 141 local authorities spending more than £1 million on publicity.

·          The total spend on publicity is not broken down in a uniform way in the various local authority accounts.  It is possible, however, to identify 44 councils that spend at least £1 million and 4 councils spending at least £2 million on staff recruitment advertising – despite the increased use of websites.  If all local authority accounts provided a full breakdown of publicity spending, the number of councils spending at least £1 million on staff advertising would almost certainly increase.

-         Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council spent £669,000 on publicity in 2006-07, down 11 per cent from the £751,000 spent in 1996-97. 

-          In 2005-06, however, the council spent £1,030,000 on publicity, meaning that the 1-year fall in spending was 35 per cent. 

-         If Hammersmith and Fulham can reduce publicity spending by 35 per cent in one year (in part by allowing advertising by local businesses in council publications) make other efficiency savings and reduce council tax by 3 per cent, then it must be possible for other councils to follow suit. 

Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, added:

“It’s important for council taxpayers to see just how their hard-earned money is being spent by town halls.  With council tax doubling in the past decade, it’s extremely disappointing that councils like Haringey have chosen to more than double their publicity budgets over the same period.  With the internet cutting the cost of communication, it shouldn’t be difficult for local authorities to find savings in this area and bring council tax down.”