25 July 2000

As big savings have been made in its advertising costs, the Christchurch City Council is likely to duplicate some advertising to reach a wider audience.

The Council’s Advertising and Publishing Projects Manager, Grant McSherry, said today that savings achieved in the Council’s advertising and publishing project are likely to bring savings of more than $400,000. This was the original savings target.

"In the category of classified advertising alone, a concerted effort to manage the size, layout and grouping of advertisements has meant the Council is on track to achieve savings in excess of the $110,000 targeted," Mr McSherry said.

This, in conjunction with a strategy to reduce costs associated with tenders advertising, has enabled the Council to consider duplicating public notice advertising in The Press newspaper as well as the Christchurch Star "while still meeting budgeted savings in this area."

The Council had a chance to get better exposure of public notice advertising by placing it in both newspapers. This would give the best possible level of service to ratepayers while still saving a considerable amount of money on last year’s costs, he said.

The issue is on the agenda for next Thursday’s full Council meeting.

Further information: Grant McSherry: 941 8998.