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New pilot community radio station Rutland and Stamford Sound to be discussed




A project to set up a new local radio station could be transferred to a community interest company, which would oversee its future launch.

Rutland and Stamford Sound would be a pilot station, set up after Rutland Radio rebranded as Greatest Hits Radio last year.

Last year Rutland County Council provided seed funding for an independent project to see if a new radio station for Rutland and Stamford was feasible.

A new community radio station will be discussed on Tuesday
A new community radio station will be discussed on Tuesday

Rutland County Council will tomorrow (Tuesday) consider proposals, made by Rutland and Stamford Community Radio Project’s independent project board, which would see the project transferred to a community interest company (CIC) for its final stages.

During this time, the pilot Rutland and Stamford Sound would be independent of the council and could seek advertising and grant funding. It could also seek to gain a licence from Ofcom.

The project board has also proposed any remaining funding for the project be issued to the CIC as a grant, and that the project manager post is transferred to it too.

Mary Hardwick, chairman of the Rutland and Stamford Community Radio Project, said: “Our interim report sets out key conclusions from work that has been undertaken by the project so far, as well as the reasons for recommending a CIC as the preferred model to operate a pilot station.

"The CIC not-for-profit model is already successfully used in the world of community radio.

"Two members of our project board also have experience of establishing and managing successful Rutland-based CICs.

"If approved, the new company would operate independently, with full responsibility for managing all aspects of the pilot station, including continued engagement with residents in Rutland and Stamford.”

Coun Oliver Hemsley, leader of Rutland County Council, said: “There is still a huge appetite among Rutland residents to see the return of a community-focused radio station that gives a voice to local people and issues.

"A tremendous amount of work has been done to put the Rutland and Stamford Community Radio Project on a firm footing in terms of governance and research.

"The interim report that has been submitted provides a full overview of the work carried out to date, as well as suggestions for where the project should go next.”

Rutland County Council’s cabinet is due to consider the interim report from the Rutland and Stamford Community Radio Project at its next virtual meeting at 10am tomorrow (Tuesday, January 12).

The agenda and reports for this meeting have been published and can be read online here.



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