Broadcasting Act 1981

18 Local advisory committees for local sound broadcasts. U.K.

(1) In addition to the committees which are to be, or may be, appointed under section 16, the Authority shall also appoint local advisory committees in respect of all the localities for which local sound broadcasting services are provided by the Authority; and each such committee shall be appointed for an area consisting either of one such locality or of two or more such localities.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), each such committee (in this section referred to as a “local committee”)—

(a) shall be so constituted, and

(b) shall consist of persons selected by reference to such qualifications,

as in the opinion of the Authority would be appropriate for reflecting, so far as is reasonably practicable, the range of tastes and interests of persons residing in the area for which the committee is appointed (in this section referred to, in relation to a local committee, as its area).

(3) For each local committee the Authority shall invite the appropriate local authorities (either jointly or separately) to nominate persons with a view to their being appointed as members of the committee; and (unless the number of eligible persons so nominated for a local committee is insufficient for the purpose) the Authority shall appoint at least one-third of the members of each local committee from among persons so nominated.

(4) Before appointing a person to be a member of a local committee the Authority shall satisfy themselves that he—

(a) will have no financial or other interest in any advertising agency, and

(b) will have no such other financial or other interest in advertising as is in the opinion of the Authority likely to prejudice his independence as a member of that committee;

and the Authority shall also satisfy themselves from time to time that each member of a local committee has no such interest as is described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection.

In subsection (3) “eligible persons” means persons in respect of whom the Authority are satisfied that they have no such interest.

(5) The function of a local committee shall be to give to the Authority, with respect to the conduct of their local sound broadcasting services for the area of the committee, such advice as in the opinion of the committee would be appropriate for reflecting, so far as is reasonably practicable, the range of tastes and interests of persons residing in that area.

(6) In this section “appropriate local authority”, in relation to a local committee, means a local authority whose area consists of or includes the whole or part of the area of that committee, and “local authority”—

(a) in relation to England and Wales, means any of the following, that is to say, the council of a county, district or London borough, . . . F1 , the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

(b) in relation to Scotland, means a regional, islands or district council; and

(c) in relation to Northern Ireland, means a district council.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words repealed by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1), ss. 1, 102(2)(3), 17