Editorial gates
Each useful local item needs a source route, a geography check and a publish/hold decision before it can appear in a live issue.
These gates are editorial prep only. They do not approve live subscriber sends, public posts, paid ads, payment links or advertiser outreach.
Use these rules when turning raw source findings into Buttondown-ready issue items.
core
Required source: Official council page, committee report, consultation page or published service notice.
Publish when: The original source confirms what changes, who is affected and when it applies.
Hold if: Only local media, social screenshots or campaign claims are available.
Verify: The relevant borough source route; Date and geography in the original record; Impact on named West London places
core
Required source: Planning application, planning portal record, committee agenda or decision notice.
Publish when: The item can link readers to the primary planning record or meeting papers.
Hold if: The claim implies approval, refusal or construction timing that the record does not show.
Verify: Application reference or committee item; Address and ward; Decision status versus proposal status
high
Required source: TfL, National Rail, South Western Railway, roadworks or official transport notice.
Publish when: The disruption is current, local and materially useful before the morning commute.
Hold if: The disruption is stale, outside the patch or based only on anecdotal reports.
Verify: Affected line, road, stop or station; Start and end time; Known alternatives where official advice exists
high
Required source: Met Office, Environment Agency or official flood-monitoring data.
Publish when: There is a practical resident action: travel planning, event changes, river path caution or severe-weather preparation.
Hold if: The wording drifts into emergency advice beyond the linked official source.
Verify: Warning level; Affected riverside or travel corridors; Issue time and expiry time
medium
Required source: Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade, council safety notice or court/public agency record.
Publish when: The item is current, source-backed and avoids naming private individuals beyond the public record.
Hold if: Only neighbour posts, WhatsApp messages or unverified allegations are available.
Verify: Agency name; Incident location; Appeal details or public instruction
medium
Required source: NHS, council public-health team, Food Standards Agency or named regulator.
Publish when: The piece points readers to the official source and avoids diagnosis, treatment or regulated claims.
Hold if: A sponsor, clinic or local business claim cannot be separated from medical advice.
Verify: Public body source; Service area; Whether the item is information rather than advice
medium
Required source: Venue, organiser, council calendar, BID page or reputable listing with a named organiser.
Publish when: The event is open to readers in the coverage area and has a useful next action.
Hold if: The listing is undated, invite-only, obviously commercial filler or outside the patch.
Verify: Date and time; Venue and neighbourhood; Booking requirement or price where public
commercial
Required source: Advertiser landing page, approved creative brief, sponsor inventory record or affiliate disclosure route.
Publish when: The copy is clearly labelled, useful to residents and manually approved before any checkout or send.
Hold if: The claim is medical, financial, legal, misleading, unlocal or not explicitly approved.
Verify: Local service area; Offer wording; Required disclosure
Short operational guardrails for the pre-send review.