Newsletter delivery blunder a ‘total waste of money’

COUNCILLOR Steve Bashforth with copies of the misposted mag

HUNDREDS of magazines produced for Shaw and Crompton parishoners have landed on the doorstep of Heyside residents in a delivery blunder.

Householders were left puzzled when they received a copy of Shaw and Crompton Parish Council’s newsletter after a delivery company thought Heyside was in the circulation area.

The North-West’s largest leaflet distribution company, RCD, failed to use a map marking the parish boundaries.

Royton ward councillor Steven Bashforth said puzzled constituents had approached him about it.

He said: “This has been a total waste of money. I walked into the Duke of York pub the other day and some people said to me ‘Are we in Shaw now?’.

Dr Ray Hughes, clerk of the council, revealed “The Parish Matters” newsletter was successfully delivered by RCD in 2011 — with the guidance of a map marking the borders.

He said: “Unfortunately the company didn’t use that map this year. I wasn’t aware of this until after the delivery.”

Dr Hughes is now talking to the deliverers to reach a settlement over the mistake. The parish paid RCD

£1,117.20 for distribution of the magazine — the largest of four produced each year and the only one posted to up to 9,000 households.

Parish councillor Dave Murphy said the error has not been a complete disaster.

“Yes, it is a mistake and we will sort it out and get the magazines to everyone.”