Penrith Town Council has agreed to spend a further £6,182.46 on the renewal of its email newsletter subscription—despite the system currently reaching just 2,424 subscribers, less than 8 per cent of the town’s population.
The decision to renew the £6,182 annual subscription was made by members of the Town Council’s Communities Committee where members approved the continuation of the service, used to send branded monthly email updates on Council business to subscribers.
The town council first introduced the system in 2023, spending £7,560 on the initial set-up and first year of use. This was followed by a £4,814 renewal in 2024. The latest £6,182 approval brings the total amount spent on the email platform over three years to more than £18,500.
The subscriber numbers for the town council newsletter have remained low since its launch, The current mailing list of according to recent town council figures stands at just 2,424 subscribers, represents a small fraction of the town’s population.
Questions regarding value for money were raised as early as 2023 by former councillor Jeff Thomson, who challenged the justification for the costs involved given the limited reach.
The Council defended the continued use of the service, stating:
“The performance of the account demonstrates a desire from the Penrith public to continue to be kept informed through this direct means of email communication.”
“It is therefore proposed to continue using an email distribution platform for Council communication to enhance and build upon its other existing communication channels.”
The Council maintains that the system supports its wider efforts to improve public engagement, although it has not confirmed any specific targets for increasing subscriptions or measuring the effectiveness of the platform beyond current uptake.
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