Towers Perrin Report Lays Foundations For OFCOM

Press Release - 12th October 2001

A scoping study intended to lay the foundations of the new communications regulator OFCOM has been published today.

The study was commissioned by the five communications regulators whose functions will come together under proposed new legislation to form OFCOM.

This study is the result of a successful collaboration between the five organisations concerned - the Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC), the Independent Television Commission (ITC), Office of Telecommunications (Oftel), the Radio Authority and the Radiocommunications Agency (RA). The five chief executives have given their unanimous support to the document and have pledged to continue to work closely together in preparing for OFCOM.

The scoping study, produced by consultants Towers Perrin, is an assessment of the kind of organisation OFCOM needs to be, how its various functions might be organised and how to manage the complex task of transition from five bodies to one.

The study was commissioned by the Regulators Steering Group (RSG) to help prepare the way for the new OFCOM Board once appointed by Ministers following the current paving legislation. Major management decisions on such matters as resources, structure and appointments, and the management of the transition to the new organisation once the main legislation is approved, will all be matters for the new Board.

In a joint statement, Paul Bolt (BSC), David Edmonds (Oftel), David Hendon (RA), Patricia Hodgson (ITC) and Tony Stoller (Radio Authority), said:

"We hope that our preparation - as represented both by this report and by the further work planned for the months ahead - will lay the foundations for the Board's work. We are not determining the final structure, but want to make it as easy as we can for the new Board to handle the very demanding agenda they will face if the Government's target date is to be met.

There is a great deal of public interest in OFCOM as an organisation, and especially its quality of expertise, value for money, resource needs, division into different areas and methods for linking with stakeholders of all kinds.

This report will enable there to be an informed debate, across the general public as well as amongst those directly concerned, on what kind of organisation OFCOM needs to be."

The regulators welcome views on :

The proposed vision for OFCOM

OFCOM's organisation design criteria

Initial thinking on the shape of the organisation and the way it divides up its work.

Media contacts:

BSC: Donia Moinian 020 7808 1016
ITC: Richard Peel (ITC) 020 7306 7740
Oftel: Duncan Stroud 020 7634 8750
Radio Authority: Kerry Curtis 020 7430 2724
Radiocommunications Agency: Alison Korzec 020 7211 0510

Views or comments on the proposals for OFCOM should be sent to:

Paul Ferguson
OFCOM Project Office
50 Ludgate Hill
LONDON EC4 M7JJ

Notes to Editors

1. The full report is available on the following websites:

www.bsc.org.uk
www.itc.org.uk
www.oftel.gov.uk
www.radioauthority.org.uk
www.radio.gov.uk/topics/ofcom/ofcom-index.htm

2. Hard copies are available from the media contacts above.

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