TOWERS PERRIN REPORT LAYS FOUNDATIONS FOR OFCOM

A STUDY intended to lay the foundations of the new communications regulators OFCOM has been published.
Produced by consultants Towers Perrin the study was commissioned by the five communications regulators whose functions will come together under proposed new legislation to form OFCOM.
The 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 study 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.
Commissioned by the Regulators Steering Group (RSG) the study will help prepare the way for the new OFCOM Board to be appointed. 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 to consider.
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.” (CD)