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15|08|06

Note Of The Third Meeting of The Ofcom Community Radio Fund Panel Held at Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London on Thursday 23rd March 2006.

Chairman’s Introduction

1. The Chairman (Thomas Prag) welcomed Members to this Extraordinary and third meeting of the Ofcom Community Radio Fund Panel. All members were present throughout with the exception of Kevin Carey who had given his apologies. Other Ofcom colleagues were also present throughout.

Community radio emergency fund grant award process/policy

2. The Panel noted that an application had been received from a community radio in advance of the next round of community radio fund awards. The applicants were seeking as an emergency a proportion of the grant requested in the application.

3. The Panel noted that the applicant had contacted Ofcom recently because it had not realised that it had missed the deadline for the first round of community radio fund grants. The applicant was registered for Ofcom Updates (as well as CMA mailings) but had not seen the e-mails in early and late November 2005 nor had it seen the Community Radio Fund Page on the Ofcom Website.

4. The Panel referred to the Community Radio Guidance Notes published by Ofcom and noted that the Exclusions List contained in the Notes stated that the funding for an emergency would not usually be considered. The Panel agreed that whilst it was sympathetic to the applicant’s situation, it could not agree to an emergency grant. The Panel needed to discuss whether it might consider granting emergency funding in future and if so, under what circumstances.

5. After a full and careful discussion, and in accordance with the Community Radio Fund Panel’s agreed application and award process, the Panel resolved that the application was an early application for the next round (the Panel had already announced that applications will be invited on 21 April 2006), and consequently the application could not be considered. However, it was agreed that the application could be kept on file for consideration at the next meeting should the applicant wish.

6. The Panel requested that colleagues bring to the next meeting a decision paper on whether the Community Radio Fund Panel should consider emergency grants. The paper should include definitions of an emergency, what proportion of funds should be set aside to deal with emergencies and the process for application and decision, for discussion by the Panel.

Any other business

7. There was no any other business.

Date of next meeting

8. To be held on Thursday 29 th June 2006 in London

April 2006

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