Council printing spend plummets by £32 million during pandemic

Embargoed: 00:01 Wednesday 12th May 2021

Research by the TaxPayers’ Alliance has confirmed that councils across the UK have made significant savings on printing in the last year. Local authorities spent £41.6 million on printing between April 2020 and February 2021 - a decline of nearly £32 million (43 per cent) from the previous year.

Analysis of the data from the last three financial years shows the pandemic has seen a significant decrease in council spending on printing. Of the 295 councils which responded to freedom of information requests, 94 per cent (276) reported a drop in expenditure. Only 14 saw an increase, with five experiencing no change.

The council with the highest printing costs in 2020-21 was Aberdeenshire at £1,248,827. The lowest amount was £1,759 by Chorley council in Lancashire. From 2018-19 up to February 2021, local authorities spent a total of £189,778,170 on printing, with notable variations in the amounts different councils spent.

It comes after many households across the country have experienced another year of inflation-busting council tax rises. With over one third of councils in England charging over £2,000 for a Band D bill, the findings highlight one area where much needed cost-cutting measures have been made. Reducing printing offers both financial and environmental benefits, by copying the example set by councils such as Chorley. 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CHANGE IN PRINTING COSTS FOR COUNCILS IN YOUR AREA

Key findings:

• Local authorities across the UK spent £41,610,366 on printing costs between April 2020 and February 2021. This is a decline of £31.9 million from 2019-20, or 43 per cent.

• The council that spent the most was Aberdeenshire, at £1,248,827. The council that spent the least was Chorley, at £1,759.

• Across 2018-19, 2019-20 and April 2020 to February 2021, the total spend was £189,778,170.

• Between 2019-20 and April 2020 to February 2021, the council that saw the largest decline in printing costs in cash terms was East Riding of Yorkshire. This fell from £1,942,000 to £830,000.

• Between 2019-20 and April 2020 to February 2021, the council that saw the largest increase in printing costs in cash terms was Sunderland. This rose from £559,851 to £648,465, due to city-wide leaflet drops relating to covid-19.

• In percentage terms, the council that saw the largest decline in printing costs was Chorley, at 89 per cent. The council which saw the largest increase was Copeland, at 83 per cent.

• Of the 295 councils which responded with adequate data, 276 saw their spending on printing decline between 2019-20 and April 2020 to February 2021. Only 14 saw it rise and five saw it stay the same.

 
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CHANGE IN PRINTING COSTS FOR COUNCILS IN YOUR AREA

Harry Fone, grassroots campaign manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance said:

“Councils across the country should be congratulated for these printing savings.

“Taxpayers are fed up with their council tax bills shooting up, but covid-19 may reveal some simple savings which can relieve financial pressures and offer environmental benefits too.

“Town hall bosses must lock in these reductions for the long term, and pass the advantages of staying paperless onto hard-pressed residents.”

TPA spokesmen are available for live and pre-recorded broadcast interviews via 07795 084 113 (no texts).

Regional breakdown (printing costs between April 2020 and February 2021):

In the East Midlands:  

• The council with the highest printing costs was Nottinghamshire, at £865,519.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was South Northamptonshire, at £6,596.

In the East of England:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Southend-on-Sea, at £496,424.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was Great Yarmouth, at £3,115.

In London:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Hounslow, at £599,775.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was Havering, at £47,792.

In the North East:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Sunderland, at £648,465.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was South Tyneside, at £57,191.

In the North West:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Cumbria, at £1,011,791.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was Chorley, at £1,759.

In Northern Ireland:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, at £148,144.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was Lisburn and Castlereagh, at £13,471.

In Scotland:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Aberdeenshire, at £1,248,827.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was North Ayrshire, at £27,072.

In the South East:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Hampshire, at £752,228.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was Eastleigh, at £5,855.

In the South West:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, at £474,460.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was West Devon, at £14,594.

In Wales:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Powys, at £402,991. 

• The council with the lowest printing costs was Anglesey, at £33,058. 

In the West Midlands:

• The council with the highest printing costs was Sandwell, at £683,628.

• The council with the lowest printing costs was Telford and Wrekin, at £4,325.

In Yorkshire and the Humber:

• The council with the highest printing costs was East Riding of Yorkshire, at £830,000. 

• The council with the lowest printing costs was Ryedale, at £6,931.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CHANGE IN PRINTING COSTS FOR COUNCILS IN YOUR AREA

Media contact:

Danielle Boxall
Media Campaign Manager, TaxPayers' Alliance
[email protected]
24-hour media hotline: 07795 084 113 (no texts)

Notes to editors:

1. Founded in 2004 by Matthew Elliott and Andrew Allum, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) campaigns to reform taxes and public services, cut waste and speak up for British taxpayers. Find out more at www.taxpayersalliance.com.

2. TaxPayers' Alliance's advisory council.

3. Where possible, printing costs for council-managed schools have been excluded. This is particularly relevant for local authorities in Wales and Scotland.

4. The TaxPayers’ Alliance recently released Town Hall Rich List 2021 - a comprehensive list of local authority employees receiving remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2019-20.

5. The TaxPayers’ Alliance analysed council tax increases and found that council tax has more than doubled in 20 years.