Dull and duller

The latest minutes from the BBC Board, made dull, officially or otherwise, by Company Secretary Phil Harrold since the meeting was held in October, are out. 

Let's see if we can add some spice. I'm guessing that the latest "Board Effectiveness Report", by Governance Gurus Christopher Saul Associates, found room for improvement - otherwise why have an 'implementation plan' ? The Nations sub-committees of the Board meet twice a year, and produce even duller minutes. It's possible that the All-White England Committee had a healthy discussion about the cuts to local radio, but there's no record of it in the minutes, and no suggestion they asked for specific research on the audience reaction. 

The proposals include making all the Nations Committees meet as one, once a year, and adding executives from BBC Content to the four groups, perhaps so opinions beyond those of Rhodri Talfan-Davies are heard in the room. 

Meanwhile, the Board itself ploughed on, noting, not tweaking or re-thinking, the de-localisation of  BBC radio in England. "Teams across England were now implementing changes to local service provision:wenty stations had so far made schedule changes with twenty-nine new shows now up and running. An ACAS meeting with the NUJ had been scheduled."

Network Radio was also discussed at the meeting, with gowned supplicants Lorna Clarke, Jonathan Wall, Phil Kemp and lately arrived from Alexa, Aniruddh Dimri, bringing forward vellum plans for four-and-a-half radio services on the Plumped-up Cushion of Entreaty. They were admitted to the meeting, and their plans were blessed, but with a mild enquiry as to how long it might take. No suggestion that anyone asked how this expansion could be afforded.