Why council plans to offer buildings to advertisers
BBCCash-strapped Worcestershire County Council said it will offer buildings and other assets to advertisers in a bid to generate income.
The move opens up the prospect of adverts appearing on council offices, bus shelters, libraries and other amenities.
It comes as the authority faces an unprecedented £98m funding shortfall for 2027/28, having to rely on emergency government support.
Councillor Adam Kent, the deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said: "I'd invite anybody who's interested in advertising on council assets to come forward and give us their proposal."
How will it work?
Under the new 'advertisement and sponsorship policy', the council cites its "increasingly sophisticated portfolio of assets" which could be used to tempt advertisers.
It specifically mentions council buildings and bus shelters as the likeliest contenders for adverts.
However, Kent told the BBC that he wanted to ensure nothing was "off limits" in the hunt for partnerships and that he was keen to widen it out.
"It's about a common sense approach," he said.
"We've got a lot of assets in terms of bus shelters and also the libraries, for example, but look, we need to motivate every area to try and keep council tax down," he said.
"I'm absolutely open to anything that's legal. We've made it really open for a reason and I'd invite anybody who's interested to come forward.
"You can't fail to see other councils that have been allowing adverts on roundabouts, for example, [so] why not get a local company to come forward and sponsor that roundabout or that asset or whatever it is," he added.
He also said the council did not have a figure in mind for the revenue it hoped to generate from the proposal, adding that it was "impossible" to predict.
"We're not geared up to selling things, we're probably going to have to find partners out there who can help us get it up and running," he added.
Under the policy, certain types of adverts will be banned, including gambling, cigarettes, sexually explicit material and anything that breaches advertising standards.
The council will not accept adverts from short-term credit providers, such as payday loans, or less healthy foods and drinks, as defined by the department of health.
What's the reaction?
The BBC asked people in Pershore what they thought of the move, with residents saying they had mixed views.
Paul Targett, 61, said: "If it's just one advert on the side of a building then I don't mind, but I wouldn't want more than that.
"I don't want to see them all over the place," he added.
Sheila Turner, a pensioner, said: "If it brings in some money to the council then I agree they should look at it.
"But it really does depend on what type of advert it is. If it's local companies and will benefit the local community, then I'd think 'okay'.
"But not if it's some advert which has nothing to do with Pershore or Worcestershire," she said.
Peter Morgan said: "I don't want adverts in libraries, so that's a non-starter.
"I get bombarded with enough adverts on TV. If we're talking about council offices having the odd advert, maybe I could stomach it," he said.
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