Sponsorship policy

Sponsorship opportunities, if properly assessed and managed, can have a positive impact on Council events and initiatives, as well as the wider community.

Sponsorship can be advantageous for all parties; however, the Council must ensure sponsorship agreements do not compromise or question the integrity of the Council’s operations nor present a real or apparent conflict between the objectives and mission of the Council and those of the sponsor.

The Council will actively seek opportunities to work with both local and national organisations by identifying sponsorship opportunities of mutual benefit, and which are in keeping with its strategic priorities and core values. However, the Council will not put itself in a position where it might be said that such a partnership has, or might, or may be thought to have:

• influenced the Council, its officers or members in carrying out its statutory functions
• been offered unduly favourable terms from the Council in any business or other agreement
• aligned the Council with any organisation which conducted itself in a manner which conflicted with the Council’s values

Association of a company’s name with Council events or activities can be particularly attractive in terms of the opportunities for media coverage and as a display of public spirit. In some cases, sponsors, motives or the benefits the sponsor anticipates may be less apparent. Careful consideration should always be given to understanding what a sponsor might gain from the arrangement.

Whether advertising and/or sponsorship is a suitable method for achieving our aims, or whether external requests to use council owned platforms should be approved, will be decided on a case-by-case basis on the merits of each opportunity or request. The Council should not accept sponsorship from parties subject to or likely to be subject to their regulation or inspection.

The council does not take a ‘‘allow list’’ approach (which is when specific permitted advertising is defined), but rather follows a ‘deny list’ approach which is when the basic assumption is that advertising is permitted unless it falls into several prohibited categories or is deemed to have an adverse impact.

Organisations that will not be considered or approved for sponsorship opportunities include, but are not limited to, those which represent a conflict of interest or are connected directly or indirectly with the following, or meet any of the following conditions:

• advocacy of, or opposition to, any politically, environmentally or socially controversial subjects or issues
• those found guilty of illegal or improper conduct by any other legal authority
• those which are involved in political fields (for example political parties, pressure groups, trade unions)
• disparagement or promotion of any person or class of persons, organisations involved in unlawful discrimination against people with one or more protected characteristics within the terms of the Equality Act 2010
• promotion or incitement of illegal, violent or socially undesirable acts
• promotion or availability of tobacco products, weapons, gambling or illegal drugs
• financial organisations and loan advancers with punitive interest rates
• promotion or availability of adult or sexually orientated entertainment materials
• an infringement on any trademark, copyright or patent rights of another company.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the Council retains the right to decline to enter into sponsorship agreements with any organisation or individual that the Council in its sole discretion considers inappropriate for whatever reason.

Sponsorship recognition should be tasteful and discrete and must not create situations of potential embarrassment or criticism of the Council. Such forms of recognition can include, but are not limited to:

• appropriate signage
• media release acknowledging the role and contribution of the sponsor invitations to selected Council functions, which may include hospitality, preferential seating, award presentation
• inclusion of sponsor’s name and logo on Council publications and other external publications
• naming rights for an event, building etc. for the term of the sponsorship
• an award or trophy struck in the sponsor’s name and publicly presented
• displays in Council buildings/facilities subject to approval in each individual case, in static displays or for an activity of the sponsor when not required for the Council’s use
• an opportunity for the sponsor’s name and/or logo to be promoted through appropriate general advertising by the Council

The Council will maintain a Sponsorship Register.

The Council must reflect on whether the awarding of sponsorship to external organisations requires additional consideration of relevant legislation as it may be deemed as ‘financial assistance.’

Following the completion of the sponsorship, the Service will conduct an evaluation of the agreement.