Reports that new logo will cost a million are denied
Hounslow Council plans for rebranding have become mired in controversy following claims that the whole exercise will cost over £1 million. The figure, which was published in the Hounslow Chronicle, was dismissed by senior Conservative Councillors in the administration who said the cost of implementing the new brand would be far less because signs and stationary would only carry the new logo as and when they needed to be replaced.
In a report presented to the Council's Executive, Council Leader Peter Thompson outlined a plan which he said ' is in keeping with the values and vision of the administration.' This includes measures such as adopting the words ‘London Borough of Hounslow’ to replace the current ‘Hounslow’ wording on Council documentation, the use of purple as a corporate colour and the adoption of the Borough crest as a logo on all documents.
He recommended that new branding guidelines (Brand Identity Guidebook) to be drawn up which is expected to cost a minimum of £10,000. In total the first phase assessment of the project is expected to cost £35,000.
The major cost of the rebranding would be street signs with an estimate expense of £675,000. However, it is expected that signs with the old logo would only be replaced as and when they needed to be. The report concludes that the total cost of the exercise would amount to a 'six figure sum.'
The corporate brand was last updated between 2002 –2004 but a new logo for the Council was not created at that time.
Labour Cllr. Matt Harmer condemned the plan as an exercise in vanity and accused the Conservatives of trying to put their stamp on the borough with a scheme that would provide no benefit to residents.
John Connolly of the Hounslow Independent Alliance said, "It would appear that the same Council that recently cut services to the elderly and disabled has no shortage of cash to massage senior councillors' allowances and egos."
August 3, 2007