Stradbroke Monthly Editors Statement to PC 8th June 2015

The Editors of the Stradbroke Monthly are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

Definition of ‘Editor’ - a person who is in charge of and determines the final content of a newspaper, magazine, or multi-author book.

We are four working mothers volunteering to make a magazine each month from everything the village wants to share. We do not write the articles. Well I write an article about the allotments but that is it!

Over the course of the past eighteen months we have been placed in an increasingly impossible positon.

As a group we feel that allegations have been made and decisions have been made, and continue to be made, without any opportunity to defend ourselves. This is against all forms of natural justice and hurtful. For example an EGM was recently called about the magazine and we were not invited, not told the purpose of the meeting, asked to submit anything, or told what was going to be discussed.

This has caused all of us sleepless nights, nausea and other common effects of being bullied and this fear of unjustified attack has been affecting us all for well over a year - a particular low point was when we were told by a group of councillors that we were going to have to sign a contract drawn up by them, and to make that “lawful” we would be offered ONE Penny consideration. What a way for those Councillors to show their appreciation of work we do.

Even tonight we have no idea what the Council intends to discuss or do. When we see the word “magazine” on the agenda our hearts sink and we literally spend days worrying about what will happen to us next.

We do not feel certain members of the council treat us with any respect or value the work that we undertake every month to help draw Stradbroke residents together - in the words of Les Carter who founded the magazine We print almost everything submitted to us in full with no issues whatsoever. Over the years we have dealt with the small number of complaints we have received in as fair a way as we can.

In recent times the issues have clearly revolved around differences between parish councillors. As editors we seek to strike the balance between freedom of speech and ensuring the magazine does not become a vehicle for disputes between individuals or groups of individuals.

The overwhelming majority of what we publish is as it should be uncontroversial.

Written complaints about magazine articles we have received constitute about 0.17% (nought point one seven percent) of all articles submitted to the magazine since April 2007. (4 out of 2, 370 articles) All issues where articles have been either the source of complaint combined with where the editors have had to raise an issue with a submitter due to the content being not ready for publishing, constitutes 0.38% (nought point three eight percent) of all articles submitted to the magazine since April 2007. (9 out of 2, 370 articles)

We feel Cllr Velda Lummis is absolutely right in her assertion at the last meeting that “it’s personal”.

We would like the council to treat us with respect, listen to us and work collaboratively with us to ensure the continued success of the magazine.

At the last meeting councillors spent 20 minutes discussing the magazine yet failed to do the one thing that could have been most constructive and appoint another “ambassador” to the magazine.

We would like the council to do this as soon as possible and to appoint someone who can be clearly seen to have a constructive approach. Our suggestion is that Cllr Maureen John is appointed.

We would also like the council to adopt a constructive approach to dealing with complaints and perceived issues. In the first instance we would like to see these referred to us and then if necessary to the magazine ambassador who can report back to the Council.

We feel the Council needs to work to re-build trust with the editors and repair relationships damaged over the last twelve to eighteen months.

As editors we are very proud of the magazine we produce. It is popular. Well respected and we feel contributors and readers value the magazine and appreciate the work of the whole team that makes it possible.

In fact the magazine is in the strongest position it has been for many years after the deaths of both Ann Kerr and Mike Readman within a few months of each other in 2013 left a huge hole in the team.

The editorial and production team now has five members, the printing of the magazine is now done

by Tuddenham Press which means photocopier issues are thankfully a thing of the past and the distribution team led by Claudene Merritt has worked through recent issues.

The team would like to be able to put their energy into developing and improving the magazine. We would like to be able to spend some of the revenues raised through advertising on improvements to the magazine without feeling we need to “beg” to be allowed to spend the money.

As councillors will be aware we have written a document detailing the history of the Stradbroke Monthly which is now 35 years old. We hope councillors will carefully read what we have written and listen to our story and experiences from the last few years in particular.

There is nothing wrong with the Stradbroke Monthly or it’s editors.

The Editors, The Stradbroke Monthly