Community Radio Fund Panel
The Community Radio Fund Panel meets as required to examine applications and make awards from the Community Radio Fund.
Section 359 of the Communications Act 2003 makes it possible for a fund for community radio operators to be set up, and for Ofcom to administer it and “make such grants as they consider appropriate” to community radio licensees.
Government (specifically, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) provides some funding to be distributed to community radio stations through such a fund. Only holders of a community radio licence can seek a grant from this Fund.
Terms of reference for the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 155.3 KB)
Meeting agendas will be published here.
- Agenda for the 40th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 90.3 KB) – 11 July 2023
- Agenda for the 39th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 91.3 KB) – 7 February 2023
- Agenda for the 38th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 90.5 KB) – 13 July 2022
- Agenda for the 37th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 90.3 KB) – 4 February 2022
It is our policy to keep board and committee minutes on our site for two years only. Older minutes can be accessed via the National Archives.
Notes of previous Panel meetings will be published here.
- Note of the 39th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 155.7 KB) – 7 February 2023
- Note of the 38th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 154.2 KB) – 13 July 2022
- Note of the 37th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 155.4 KB) – 4 February 2022
- Note of the 34th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 117.2 KB) – 20 August 2020
- Note of the 33rd meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 114.1 KB) – 27 May 2020
- Note of the 32nd meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 114.9 KB) – 22 January 2020
- Note of the 31st meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 113.5 KB) – 25 June 2019
- Note of the 30th meeting of the Community Radio Fund Panel (PDF, 113.7 KB) – 22 January 2019
It is our policy to keep board and committee notes on our site for two years only. Older notes can be accessed via the National Archives.
The Community Radio Fund Panel comprises two Non-Executive Members and one Executive Member. Its members are:
Mark Jones (Chair)
Mark has extensive radio reporting, production and management experience. In the 1980s he worked to establish and support small community radio groups across the UK as well as lobbying for change in UK broadcasting law. He joined the BBC to trial small scale local radio in the Birmingham area before leading the team making opt-out programming in south Cumbria. He was BBC Radio Five Live’s regional reporter in the north west of England for over a decade.
Most recently, Mark was Assistant Editor at BBC Radio Gloucestershire, combining programming, financial and management responsibilities.
Mark joined the Panel on 1 November 2021. His appointment runs until 31 March 2026.
Olu Bankole
Olu is the Finance Business Partner for Income in Ofcom's Corporate Group. Her role involves a combination of financial and non-financial analysis to ensure that Ofcom’s funding complies with statutory requirements, and she has direct involvement in calculating and setting Broadcasting Act fees. She has an interest in promoting activities that build on community spirit and a passion for contributing to a more diverse and inclusive society.
Olu joined the Panel on 1 April 2021. Her appointment runs until 31 March 2024.
Alan Stewart
Alan has considerable experience of broadcasting regulation and more recently of running community-based charities. He was Head of the Independent Television Commission in Scotland before moving into the Office of Communications at the end of 2003 as Head of Broadcasting for Scotland. He was responsible for relations with broadcasters, including community radio licensees. After leaving full time employment with Ofcom in 2018, he served a term as an independent director of his local community trust and is currently board member of an environmental charity. He also has an interest in minority language provision having taken forward Ofcom’s statutory responsibilities for Gaelic broadcasting then later carrying out consultancy work in a related area. He is an occasional visiting lecturer at universities in Scotland on the subjects of media regulation and consumption trends. Alan is also a Commissioner of Boundaries Scotland.
Alan became a Member of the Panel on 1 April 2021. His appointment runs until 31 March 2026.