Advertising policy

General approach

Broxbourne Borough Council (the Council) is looking to maximise revenue from advertising and sponsorship and, wherever possible, will therefore permit advertising and/or sponsorship in its publications; of its events (where appropriate; and on its assets.

The policy is not an exhaustive list and takes as its start point that all advertising or sponsorship falls within the rules and guidelines laid out by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Specific terms and conditions will be provided for the different forms of sponsorship.

All advertising or sponsorship must:

• fall within the guidelines laid out by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)
• uphold the rules laid out in the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP Code) 
• follow the Code of recommended practice on Local Authority publicity

In line with the codes referred to above, advertisements should be:

• legal, decent, honest and truthful
• created with a sense of responsibility to consumers and the wider society
• in line with the principles of fair competition generally accepted in business and that the codes are applied in the spirit as well as the letter

The Council abides by the Town and Country Planning Act. The Control of Advertisements Regulations provides the rules on displaying advertising or sponsorship.

The Council has the duty to ensure all advertising or sponsorship on Council owned assets falls within this legislation and will liaise with the Council’s planning service to ensure planning law relating to the display of advertisements is complied with.

Prohibited products, services and advertisers

The basic approach taken by the Council is to maximise the number of advertisements and advertisers which are permitted and encouraged to advertise and minimise the number that are prevented from doing so by any policy controls or restrictions. 

Most products and services may be promoted, although there are some specific categories of products and services which may not be promoted, as defined below.

Private sector organisations deemed to be in ‘competition’, or having a conflict of interest with services provided by the Council, its partners, its approved suppliers or other public sector organisations will be reviewed by the appropriate Council department. Decisions on this will be at the Council’s sole discretion.

The Council reserves the right to refuse advertisements from organisations that offer credit, including loan, payday loan, credit card organisations or consumer hire. Credit advertisements must comply with all legal and regulatory requirements in force at the time of publication.

The Council will not accept advertising or sponsorship that could be considered socially or politically contentious or which conflicts with the policies, values or statutory obligations (e.g. equalities legislation) of the Council. Decisions on this will be at the Council’s sole discretion.

The specific categories of organisations, products or services which may not advertise or be advertised are as follows:

Types of organisations

• political organisations or those that appear to be designed to affect public support for any political party
• manufacturers of tobacco products
• manufacturers of alcohol products
• advertising or sponsorship from any organisation associated with ‘adult industries’
• religious
• organisations in a financial or legal conflict with the Council will not be permitted

Types of products and services:

• tobacco
• alcohol
• gambling
• weaponry
• illegal
• pornography
• adult content
• advertising or sponsorship which has an overtly sexual ‘tone’
• religious
• advertising or sponsorship which relates to any political or lobbying campaign, petition or similar will not be permitted

Style and content of advertising or sponsorship

The Council wishes to take an equally open approach to styles of advertising or sponsorship. 

Advertisers must however recognise that public sector organisations cannot permit advertising or sponsorship which is sexual in nature, which features partial or complete nudity or which appears to promote or give undue publicity to illegal or even just inappropriate behaviour or lifestyles.

Advertising or sponsorship which is critical of Broxbourne Borough Council, its services/policies, its Members/officers or its partners will not be permitted.

The Council’s logo shall not be incorporated into any advertisement without consent in writing from the Council. It is the responsibility of the advertiser to check the correctness of their advertisement.

The Council will endeavour to meet the advertiser’s requirement for preferred positioning but retains the final decision on such positioning.

Approval and booking process

Approval for the advertising or sponsorship will be given by the relevant senior officer, in consultation with the Communications Manager.

Following approval, the Council will issue a booking agreement. An invoice for the price of the booking will be issued on publication of the advertisement and the advertiser shall pay the price for the booking within 14 days of receipt of the Council’s invoice. Once the advertiser has returned this agreement it will not be able to cancel the booking and will remain liable for payment of the price for the period of the booking.

If the Council has incurred any additional design costs not included in the sponsorship fee on the advertiser’s behalf it shall invoice the advertiser for that amount.

Acceptance of any advertisement does not imply endorsement of any particular products or offers or that the Council is responsible for their quality and reliability, and the Council accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising out of or in connection to any advertisement appearing in its publications, on its website or its assets. 

However, the Council reserves the right to refuse any individual advertisement not deemed appropriate without explanation and can remove any advertisement immediately, if necessary.