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‘Big three’ retain most LDR contracts as four new publishers join scheme

LDRS logoFour publishers have won the right to employ local democracy reporters for the first time – but the ‘big three’ regional publishing giants have retained the lion’s share of the contracts under the BBC-funded scheme .

The BBC has announced the outcome of the latest tendering process with the award of new contracts to run from 1 July to the end of 2027.

It sees four media organisations managing LDR contracts for the first time – Baylis Media, Tindle Newspapers, Highland News & Media, and Northampton-based community radio station NLive.

However more than 80pc of the contracts have again been awarded to Reach plc, Newsquest and National World, which between them will employ 143 of the 165 reporters employed under the scheme.

Of the new publishers joining the scheme, Maidenhead Advertiser publisher Baylis Media – now a community interest company – will manage coverage of Slough Borough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor.

Inverness-based Highland News and Media is awarded the contracts to cover Highland Council and Moray Council, while Tindle Newspapers will oversee Blaenau Gwent and Powys councils in Wales.

And NLIve wins the contract to cover two councils in Northamptonshire, previously covered by JPIMedia and its succcessor company National World.

But although four new publishers are joining the scheme, the overall number of publishers awarded contracts has dropped from 18 in 2021 to 15.

Of the publishers who won contracts the last time they were awarded in 2021, Archant has since been taken over by Newsquest, while both Stonebow Media and Notts TV have ceased trading.

Both the Stonebow Media and Notts TV contracts – which covered Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire respectively – have now been allocated to Reach, which increases its quota of LDRs from 75 to 83.

And three media organisations which continue to operate have also lost contracts – all of them to Reach.

They are Citizen News and Media, which previously held the contract to cover Hackney, Camden and Islington councils, the London Evening Standard, which covered the Greater London Authority, and Radio Exe, which covered Devon County Council and neighbouring authorities.

Publishers from the hyperlocal sector to successfully retain contracts included Brighton & Hove News, Caerphilly Media and Newbury News, while London-based community interest company Social Spider increased the share of contracts it holds from two to three.

Iliffe Media and DC Thomson will each manage four contracts from July, with Iliffe increasing the share of Local Democracy Reporters it will employ from four to seven.

Jason Gibbins, editor of Local News Partnerships for the BBC said: “The result of this process means that every part of the country will be covered by a Local Democracy Reporter.

“The addition of four new contract holders is to be celebrated, and we look forward to them joining existing contract holders in their continued efforts to scrutinise the work of councils and other local public bodies across the UK.

“We would like to thank all organisations who took the time to submit applications.

“It was a very competitive and robust process, highlighting the exceptional standards delivered by regional news outlets across all areas of the UK.”

Table A: Allocated contracts and reporters by operating company

Company name Contracts Reporters
Baylis Community Media CIC 1 1
Brighton and Hove News 1 1
Caerphilly Media 1 1
DC Thomson 4 3.5
Highland News and Media 2 1
Iliffe Media Publishing 4 7
National World 17 24
Newbury News & Media 1 1
Newsquest 26 36
NLive Radio 1 1
Radio Manx 1 1
Reach 54 83
Shetland News 1 0.5
Social Spider CIC 3 3
Tindle Newspapers 1 1
TOTAL 118 165

Table B: Allocated contracts and reporters by BBC Nation and Region

BBC Region Contracts Reporters
East 9 13
East Midlands 5 11
North East 5 9
North West 14 19
South 9 14
South East 3 7
South West 2 4
West 5 7
West Midlands 7 15
Yorkshire & Lincolnshire 8 16
London 12 13
Northern Ireland 11 5.5
Scotland 17 20.5
Wales 11 11
TOTAL 118 165

Allocation of LDR contracts to indivdiual local authority areas.

East

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
1 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority National World
Peterborough City Council
1 Cambridgeshire County Council Reach
Cambridgeshire second-tiers
1 Buckinghamshire Council Newsquest
Milton Keynes Council
2 Bedford Borough Council National World
Central Bedfordshire Council
Luton Borough Council
2 Hertfordshire County Council Iliffe Media Publishing
Hertfordshire second-tiers
2 Essex County Council Reach
Essex second-tiers
1 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Newsquest
Thurrock Council
2 Norfolk County Council Newsquest
Norfolk second-tiers
1 Suffolk County Council Iliffe Media Publishing

 East Midlands

LDRs  Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
3 Derbyshire County Council Reach
Derby City Council
Derbyshire second-tiers
East Midlands Combined Authority
3 Leicestershire City Council Reach
Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire second-tier authorities
1 North Northamptonshire NLIve Radio
West Northamptonshire
1 Rutland County Council Iliffe Media Publishing
3 Nottinghamshire County Council Reach
Nottingham City Council
Nottinghamshire second-tiers

North East

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
2 South Tyneside Council National World
Sunderland City Council
Hartlepool Borough Council
2 Newcastle City Council Reach
North Tyneside Council
Gateshead Council
North East Combined Authority
1 Northumberland County Council Reach
1 Darlington Borough Council Newsquest
Durham County Council
3 Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Reach
Middlesbrough Council
Redcar and Cleveland Council
Tees Valley Combined Authority

North West

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
1 Blackburn with Darwen Council Newsquest
3 Lancashire County Council National World
Blackpool Council
Lancashire second-tiers
2 Cumberland Council Newsquest
Westmorland and Furness Council
1 Cheshire East Council Newsquest
1 Warrington Borough Council Newsquest
St Helens Council
2 Liverpool City Region Reach
Combined Authority
Liverpool City Council
Wirral Council
1 Halton Borough Council Newsquest
Cheshire West and Chester Council
1 Knowsley Council Reach
Sefton Council
1 Isle of Man Government Radio Manx
2 Greater Manchester CA Reach
Manchester City Council
Salford City Council
1 Bolton Council Reach
Bury Council
1 Trafford Council Reach
Wigan Council
1 Oldham Council Reach
Rochdale Met Borough Council
1 Tameside Met Borough Council Reach
Stockport Met Borough Council

South

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
2 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council Newsquest
Dorset  Council
2 Bracknell Forest Council Newsquest
Reading Borough Council
Wokingham Borough Council
1 West Berkshire Council Newbury News
1 Oxfordshire County Council Newsquest
Oxfordshire second-tiers
1 Slough Borough Council Baylis Community Media
The Royal Borough of Windsor
2 Surrey County Council Reach
Surrey second-tiers
3 Southampton City Council Newsquest
Hampshire County Council
Hampshire second-tiers
1 Portsmouth City Council National World
1 Isle of Wight Council Newsquest

South East

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
1 Brighton and Hove City Council Brighton & Hove News
3 East Sussex County Council National World
West Sussex County Council
East Sussex & West Sussex second-tiers
3 Kent County Council Iliffe Media Publishing
Medway Council
Kent second-tiers

South West

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
1 Cornwall Council Reach
Council of the Isles of Scilly
3 Devon County Council Reach
Plymouth City Council
Torbay Council
Devon second-tiers

West

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
2 West of England Combined Authority Reach
Bristol City Council
South Gloucestershire Council
1 Bath & North East Somerset Council Reach
North Somerset  Council
1 Gloucestershire County Council Reach
Gloucestershire second-tiers
1 Somerset County Council Newsquest
Somerset second-tiers
2 Swindon Borough Council Newsquest
Wiltshire Council

West Midlands

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
3 West Midlands Combined Authority Reach
Birmingham City Council
Solihull Met Borough Council
2 Coventry City Council Reach
Warwickshire County Council
Warwickshire second-tiers
3 City of Wolverhampton Council Reach
Dudley Met Borough Council
Sandwell Met Borough Council
Walsall Council
1 Herefordshire County Council Newsquest
1 Worcestershire County Council Newsquest
Worcestershire second-tiers
3 Staffordshire County Council Reach
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Staffordshire second-tier authorities
2 Shropshire Council National World
Telford & Wrekin Council

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
3 Leeds City Council Newsquest
Calderdale Council
City of Bradford Met District Council
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
2 Kirklees Council National World
Wakefield Council
3 Barnsley Met Borough Council National World
Sheffield City Council
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
Rotherham Met Borough Council
1 Elected Mayor of Doncaster National World
Doncaster Met Borough Council
1 East Riding of Yorkshire Council Reach
Hull City Council
3 North Yorkshire Council Newsquest
City of York Council
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
2 Lincolnshire County Council Reach
Lincolnshire second-tiers
1 North East Lincolnshire Council Reach
North Lincolnshire Council

London

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
1 Ealing Council Reach
Hounslow Council
Hillingdon Council
1 Harrow Council Reach
Brent Council
1 Barnet Council Social Spider CIC
Enfield Council
Haringey Council
1 Camden Council Reach
Islington Council
Hackney Council
2 Kensington & Chelsea Council Reach
Westminster Council
City of London
Hammersmith & Fulham Council
1 Waltham Forest Council Social Spider CIC
Redbridge Council
Havering Council
1 Tower Hamlets Council Social Spider CIC
Newham Council
Barking & Dagenham Council
1 Croydon Council Reach
Sutton Council
Merton Council
1 Wandsworth Council Reach
Richmond upon Thames Council
Kingston upon Thames Council
1 Lambeth Council Reach
Southwark Council
Lewisham Council
1 Bromley Council Reach
Greenwich Council
Bexley Council
1 Greater London Authority Reach

Northern Ireland

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
0.5 Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council National World
0.5 Ards and North Down Borough Council Reach
0.5 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council National World
0.5 Belfast City Council Reach
0.5 Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council National World
0.5 Derry City and Strabane District Council National World
0.5 Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Newsquest
0.5 Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council Reach
0.5 Mid and East Antrim Borough Council National World
0.5 Mid Ulster District Council Newsquest
0.5 Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Reach

Scotland

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
1 Aberdeen City Council DC Thomson
Aberdeenshire Council
0.5 Moray Council Highland News
& Media
0.5 Highland Council Highland News
& Media
0.5 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar National World
0.5 Orkney Islands Council DC Thomson
0.5 Shetland Islands Council Shetland News
1 Argyll and Bute Council DC Thomson
1 Angus Council DC Thomson
Dundee City Council
1 Clackmannanshire Council Newsquest
Fife Council
1 Stirling Council Reach
Perth and Kinross Council
1 Renfrewshire Council Reach
Inverclyde Council
1 North Lanarkshire Council National World
East Dunbartonshire Council
3 East Renfrewshire Council Reach
Glasgow City Council
West Dunbartonshire Council
3 The City of Edinburgh Council Reach
Midlothian Council
East Lothian Council
1 Falkirk Council Reach
West Lothian Council
2 South Ayrshire Council Reach
East Ayrshire Council
North Ayrshire Council
2 Dumfries & Galloway Council Reach
Scottish Borders Council
South Lanarkshire Council

Wales

LDRs Local authorities assigned to contract area Contract holder
1 Gwynedd Council Reach
Isle of Anglesey County Council
1 Denbighshire County Council Reach
Conwy County Borough Council
1 Wrexham County Borough Council Newsquest
Flintshire County Council
1 Swansea City Council Reach
Carmarthenshire County Council
1 Pembrokeshire County Council Newsquest
Ceredigion County Council
1 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Reach
Bridgend County Borough Council
1 Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Reach
Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council
1 Cardiff Council Reach
Vale of Glamorgan Council
1 Caerphilly County Borough Council Caerphilly Media
Newport City Council
1 Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Tindle Newspapers
Powys County Council
1 Torfaen County Borough Council Newsquest
Monmouthshire County Council