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Response 4086967

Response to request for information

Reference

4086967

Response date

20 August 2026

Request

Please provide the following for the most recently completed financial year only.

Four things before the questions, each intended to reduce the work involved.

First, we do not require a departmental breakdown. A single whole-organisation total is sufficient for every figure below. These figures are typically held against nominal codes in the finance ledger, and a total taken from there is exactly what we are asking for.

Second, if a figure is not separately recorded, please simply say so. That is a useful answer to us and we would much prefer it to an estimate. A number of authorities have already told us that certain figures are not held, and we have recorded that as a finding rather than a failure.

Third, the questions are grouped so that each group can be answered by one team: questions 1 to 3 by finance, questions 4 to 6 by the elections team, and questions 7 and 8 by whoever holds the staffing information.

Fourth, if any single question would take the request over the appropriate cost limit under section 12, please tell me which one and I will withdraw it, rather than the request being refused as a whole. I would be glad to agree a narrower wording by email before any work is done on it, in the spirit of the duty to advise and assist under section 16.

PART A — CORRESPONDENCE WITH RESIDENTS

  1. The total amount spent by the council on printing and posting correspondence to residents during the most recently completed financial year. A whole-organisation total is sufficient.
  2. The number of items posted to residents during the same period, if this is recorded.
  3. The total amount spent on SMS or text messaging to residents during the same period, and the number of messages sent, if these are recorded.

PART B — THE ANNUAL CANVASS

  1. The total cost to the council of the most recently completed annual canvass, including printing, postage, staffing and any personal canvasser visits. If the canvass cost is not recorded separately from the council's general print and postage budget, please say so.
  2. For that same canvass: the number of residential properties to which a canvass communication was sent; the number that did not respond to the first communication; the number of reminder communications sent; and the number of household visits carried out.
  3. For that same canvass, the number of responses received by each route — paper, online, telephone and SMS — if this breakdown is recorded.

PART C — WHO HOLDS THIS WORK

  1. The job title and, if the council is willing to share it, the direct contact details of the officer responsible for resident communications, customer contact strategy or digital transformation.
  2. The job title and, if the council is willing to share it, the direct contact details of the Electoral Registration Officer and of the officer who manages the annual canvass day to day.

I am content to receive the response electronically, and I understand the statutory period is twenty working days.

One last thing, which is an offer rather than a request. The same questions have gone to a number of district councils in England. Any council that responds is welcome to a copy of the comparative results, showing where it sits against the others, with the case reference against every figure so that anything in it can be checked at source. It is provided at no cost and on no conditions, and several councils have already asked for it. You do not need to do anything to receive it beyond answering this request, and you are under no obligation to take it.

Response

PART A — CORRESPONDENCE WITH RESIDENTS

  1. The total amount spent by the council on printing and posting correspondence to residents during the most recently completed financial year. A whole-organisation total is sufficient.
    • Total mail = £88,042.51
    • Total printing = £21.027.63
  2. The number of items posted to residents during the same period, if this is recorded. Please see response given for previous FOI Response 3998345 - Rushcliffe Borough Council
  3. The total amount spent on SMS or text messaging to residents during the same period, and the number of messages sent, if these are recorded. Zero

PART B — THE ANNUAL CANVASS

  1. The total cost to the council of the most recently completed annual canvass, including printing, postage, staffing and any personal canvasser visits. If the canvass cost is not recorded separately from the council's general print and postage budget, please say so.
    • Total cost of the most recently completed annual canvass - £44,864.29
  2. For that same canvass: the number of residential properties to which a canvass communication was sent; the number that did not respond to the first communication; the number of reminder communications sent; and the number of household visits carried out.
    • Canvass communication was sent to 35,816 properties, 3167 reminder communications were sent ( this is also the number that didn’t respond to the first communication) and 2226 households visits were carried out.
  3. For that same canvass, the number of responses received by each route — paper, online, telephone and SMS — if this breakdown is recorded.
    • We do not hold this information

PART C — WHO HOLDS THIS WORK

  1. The job title and, if the council is willing to share it, the direct contact details of the officer responsible for resident communications, customer contact strategy or digital transformation.
  2. The job title and, if the council is willing to share it, the direct contact details of the Electoral Registration Officer and of the officer who manages the annual canvass day to day.

Communication and Media