Vote on the stories you want to see

Following a successful (and busy) first 18 months, we are now turning to members to help shape what we do next. We hope to give you more control over what you want to see in the paper, both now and in the future when we go to print.

We've got two strong options, picked by the team based on community feedback, current events, and issues we've come across recently. They are issues that matter to most people and touch our daily lives.

But, as a small independent publisher, we can only focus on one of these! So it's up to you to make it happen. You can, however, share ideas for the future.

This is a bit of an experiment. If there is strong engagement with the vote, we'll run it again in the winter and then every three to four months thereafter. We hope to tie this in with our print edition — coming in late 2025 — so each issue will be themed around a particular issue or campaign.

However, if there is little to no engagement, then we'll go back to the drawing board and come up with new ways to work with our members on the stories that matter. Of course, there will always be the chance to shape our editorial focus at our annual general meeting (AGM) in March every year.

Option one: Leicester's private renting crisis

A couple of years ago, I worked with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism on a nationwide investigation that looked at the state of renting during the Covid-19 pandemic. There were several examples of rogue landlords, dodgy bailiffs and poor quality housing. Now, I want to return to Leicester's possessions courts to see first-hand what's changed — and how people are coping during the cost-of-living crisis. If there's time, we'll also look at the quality of asylum seeker housing in Leicester.

Option two: Leicester's far-right exposed

We've all seen the headlines. The far-right, fuelled by social media misinformation, have decimated Britain's streets over the last few weeks. While Leicester was spared the worst, there were still fascists gaggled around the clock tower, brandishing Nazi salutes. Leicester knows the far-right all too well. In 2022, unrest inflamed by the far-right sectarianism brought chaos to east Leicester. All these groups have used the same tactics online to spread fear and hate. We want to delve deep into the far-right online and bring its organising tactics to light. If there's time, we'll also look at how the police respond to misinformation online and whether it's working.

How to take part

If you're not yet a member, you can join here to vote. We have several (but limited) free memberships for people on lower incomes, as part of our pay-it-forward scheme. If you would like a free membership, please email us at info@greatcentralgazette.org.

The vote will close on Tuesday, 3 September at 9am. We'll announce the winning theme on social media, in our WhatsApp groups, and in the next edition of The Newsroom.

We aim to publish most stories in the winning theme by the end of autumn (November). You'll still see plenty of other topics in the paper being covered over the next three months in the meantime.

Existing members can click the button below to head to the voting form. If you reading this on the website, you will need to log in to see the link.