Tip Us

MetroReport.uk relies on contributions from readers, residents, public servants and local experts who spot stories that deserve wider attention. If you have information about how a British city is run, or how decisions made in town halls, transport authorities or housing associations affect everyday life, we want to hear from you.

What makes a good tip

We cover UK city life and urban affairs with a focus on how local decisions, public services and social change affect communities. The most useful tips are specific, supported by evidence and connected to a clear public interest. We are particularly interested in:

Council decisions — proposed planning permissions, budget allocations, procurement contracts, committee votes or policy changes that have not yet been widely reported.
Public transport failures — service cancellations, safety issues, fare anomalies, infrastructure delays or pattern of poor performance affecting commuters or residents.
Housing developments — large-scale projects, social housing allocations, regeneration schemes, compulsory purchase orders or tenant disputes.
Public spending — how taxpayer money is allocated, wasted, redirected or withheld, including grants, subsidies, contracts and consultancy fees.
Public services — cuts, closures, staffing shortages, waiting times or quality failures in health, education, social care, policing, waste collection or parks management.
Infrastructure projects — road schemes, cycle lanes, rail upgrades, utility works, flood defences or broadband rollouts that affect neighbourhoods or regions.

A good tip tells us who, what, when and where. Where possible, include documents, emails, photographs, data sets or recordings that support the information. If you are unsure what is relevant, send what you have and we will assess it.

How to reach us

Please send tips and non-urgent leads to editorial@metroreport.uk. For time-sensitive breaking news, or if you have a document that cannot wait, contact the newsdesk directly at newsdesk@metroreport.uk. Press releases, event notices and official statements should be sent to press@metroreport.uk.

You can also reach our main switchboard on +44 20 4582 6090. If you wish to speak directly to a specific editor, ask for them by name. Our team page lists contact details for each desk.

On the record, off the record and background

Please make clear at the start of any communication how you wish to be treated:

On the record — we may use your name and details in reporting.
Not for attribution (background) — we may use the information but not identify you.
Off the record — we will not publish the information, but it may inform our understanding or help us pursue the story elsewhere.

If you do not specify, we will assume you are on the record. If you change your mind at any point before publication, tell us.

How we verify tips

Every tip we pursue goes through a verification process led by our Standards & Fact-Checking desk. Marcus Ellery oversees source verification, document authentication, cross-referencing with public records and confirmation of claims before any story is published. Our approach is set out in our fact-checking policy and our sources and standards page.

We may contact you for further details, documents or clarification. We may also seek independent corroboration. We do not publish material we cannot verify to our editorial standards.

Confidentiality and source protection

We take the protection of sources seriously. If you request anonymity, we will not reveal your identity to anyone outside the editorial team without your explicit consent. We do not store personal data longer than necessary for editorial purposes. For more detail on how we handle your data, see our privacy policy. If you have specific concerns about confidentiality, contact our legal and compliance team at legal@metroreport.uk.

What happens after you submit a tip

We aim to acknowledge receipt of all tips within two working days. If your tip is time-sensitive and you have not heard from us sooner, please follow up with the newsdesk. We may not be able to respond in detail to every submission, but every tip is read and assessed. For more ways to reach us, see our contact page.

If you believe we have published inaccurate information about you or a matter you know well, please contact our corrections desk at corrections@metroreport.uk. Our corrections policy explains how we handle such requests.

We are committed to reporting that is accurate, fair and independent. Your tips help us hold power to account and inform readers who care about how British cities work. Thank you for contributing.