Ofcom Location Announcement

15/03

20 January 2003

Ofcom Location Announcement

Ofcom has made an announcement today about its location. A copy of its press release is attached for information.
ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS

The Radio Authority is responsible for licensing and regulating Independent Radio in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996. It plans frequencies, awards licences, regulates programming and advertising, and plays an active role in the discussion and formulation of policies which affect the Independent Radio industry and its listeners.

OFCOM PRESS RELEASE

OFCOM TO BE BASED AT RIVERSIDE, SOUTHWARK

The new Office of Communications (Ofcom) will be located at Riverside House in Southwark on the south bank of the Thames, subject to an agreement on contracts.

Due to be fully up and running after the completion of the Communications Bill which is well on its way through Parliament, Ofcom will oversee telecommunications, broadcasting and spectrum management.

The new organisation will replace five existing regulators – The Independent Television Commission (ITC); The Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC); The Office of Telecommunications (Oftel); The Radiocommunications Agency and The Radio Authority.

All the London-based staff of Ofcom will be located in 160,000 square feet of the refurbished Riverside building which is currently leased by Pearson from Chelsfield plc.

Said Lord Currie, the Chairman of Ofcom: " This is an excellent location. It fulfils all the criteria for a modern regulator. It is centrally based, so close to a number of a our key stakeholders, and also accessible for staff from the current regulators who will join Ofcom.

"The building can be adapted for state of the art technology and we will be able to adopt an open plan style which will reflect Ofcom’s business principles and cultural style.

"It means we can bring together nearly all staff into a single HQ from the start and begin integrated regulation from an integrated building."

Staff from the Ofcom transition team, currently based in temporary premises at Liberty House in Regent Street, are likely to move to the new building in the Spring and they will be joined by others from the current regulators and elsewhere in the run up to the establishment of Ofcom as a fully fledged regulator.
Notes to Editors:

1.   Ofcom was formally set up through paving legislation, The Office of Communications Act 2002, which received Royal Assent in March.

2.   The Communications Bill, which is likely to become an Act in the summer of this year, will confer regulatory powers on Ofcom which is expected to start operating at the end of October.

3.   Ofcom will be a light handed regulator where possible but tough when necessary. The decisions it takes will be based on strong evidence and powerful analysis. It will be accountable and transparent and in touch with citizens and consumers as well as key stakeholders.

For further information, contact: Richard Peel, Communications Advisor, Ofcom      020 7297 2918

Revised: January 20, 2003