BBC Local Radio

EDM number 326 in 1997-98, proposed by Austin Mitchell on 30/07/1997.

That this House seeing BBC local radio as the Corporation's roots in the community and concerned to maintain the high quality of is distinctive coverage unique to public service, considers that the constant pressure of cuts in staff levels in journalists, local programming, in engineering staff and in budgets undermines both local roots and local service and therefore rejects the need for such cuts which have a quite disproportionate impact on smaller units like the local radio stations; and therefore asks the BBC to fund local radio properly, instead of constantly cutting its resources as well as taking a proportion of the budget back for central charges and facilities and now cutting budgets generally to pave the way for a 24 hour news service, so that the BBC can nurture its roots and strengthen stations which are popular, and geared at providing well liked, good local service, rather than pursuing Birtian dreams.

This motion has been signed by a total of 39 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.