Category: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Date: 21.10.2005
Printable version
A detailed progress report on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s plans to move departments and channels to Manchester, as part of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s wider Out of London strategy, was submitted to the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Board of Governors yesterday (Thursday 20 October 2005).
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The proposed move involves the CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ department, including the CÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ and CBeebies channels; Children's Learning; ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sport, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Five Live and Five Live Sports Extra; and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ New Media and R&D.
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It is due to take place in 2010.
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The Governors endorsed the findings of the feasibility study carried out by the project team which included ways of developing a new vision for the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ in Manchester.
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Their preferred option is to create a Media Zone for the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½, independent producers, facilities suppliers and, potentially, other broadcasters - while retaining the option of creating a new 'stand-alone' ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ operation.
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They noted that potential cost savings were possible through partnerships and new ways of working, including radical approaches to future accommodation, technology and facilities provision and requested further progress in this area.
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Four sites - two in Manchester and two in Salford - have been shortlisted as a result of the feasibility study.
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The current ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ building in Oxford Road is not one of these for two reasons:
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The cost and associated disruption of temporarily accommodating existing staff, which make it more expensive than the alternative options;
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Its physical limitations in terms of delivering the wider vision of a Media Zone.
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The Governors have authorised the project team to begin negotiations with potential partners and site providers in order to identify a single site offering the best possible value to licence fee payers.
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The Governors will consider management's recommendations by Spring 2006. Their final decision on the move of departments and channels to Manchester will be based on whether it represents value for money to licence fee payers and whether the project is affordable.
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Notes to Editors
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The Manchester move, The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ North Project, is part of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s wider Out of London strategy which is a key component of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s Building Public Value vision announced in 2004.
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The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Executive and the Board of Governors approved the Manchester plans in principle in December 2004.
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The Government's recent Green Paper supported the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s Out of London policy: "Every region of the UK pays for the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½. It therefore has a responsibility to spread itself outside London..We welcome the recent moves it has made in this direction and encourage it to go as far and as fast as it can." (DCMS: Review of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s Royal Charter, p.82).
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