Ipswich Community Matters newsletter: Council spends $56,700 on quarterly newsletter
If costs are consistent, the total cost for four newsletters promoting the council will be more than $225,000 for the year.
Ipswich
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IPSWICH ratepayers have been slugged $56,700 to produce and deliver a 12-page council newsletter to residents promoting the organisation’s programs, services and events.
The first edition of the Community Matters newsletter was distributed to 77,200 letterboxes across the city in June, with another 200 printed to be handed out by the council.
Acting CEO Sonia Cooper said the newsletter would be produced every three months across the 2021-22 financial year.
“Community Matters is a council newsletter that informs the work of council to residents across Ipswich,” she said.
“The newsletter is another way council can distribute information to the community, to complement council’s other channels which include: Shape Your Ipswich, Transparency and Integrity Hub, council’s website, Ipswich First, Facebook, LinkedIn, and local media such as the Queensland Times.
“The newsletter was produced in-house by council media and marketing services officers.”
Ms Cooper said Australia Post was paid $31,650 to distribute 77,196 copies to Ipswich residents and Ovato was paid $25,076 to print 77,400 copies.
If these costs are consistent, the total cost for the four newsletters for the year will be about $226,000.
“Community Matters is funded from council’s core business service area for communications and engagement,” she said.
“There are 12 pages in Community Matters newsletter which is a new council newsletter that highlights the programs, services, infrastructure delivery and events of council with a city-wide and divisional focus.”
Council officers researched similar newsletters being produced in neighbouring councils in Brisbane, Logan, Redlands and Moreton Bay.
“Providing a free hard copy newsletter direct to homes is what the community were asking for,” Ms Cooper said.
“There has been considerable feedback from residents who indicated they wanted updates about what council is doing, delivered to their homes, to inform as many members of the community as possible.
“The decision to produce a publication such as Community Matters is within the legislative and financial delegations of officers of council.
“The best ways to communicate the work and services of council to the community are discussed within the organisation on a regular basis.
“Council has received very positive feedback from residents and ratepayers on the Community Matters newsletter.”
Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.