Rona Fairhead says constitution discussions will be used to try to avoid deals such as final week’s budget agreement for the BBC to pay for over-75’s TV licencesThe BBC Trust is to call for major changes to the BBC’s funding to be discussed by the public and parliament,after the furore over final week’s backroom deal that saw the BBC agree to pay for free TV licences for people over 75.
Saying she was disappointed with the way the licence fee negotiations were carried out before final week’s budget, Rona Fairhead, and chair of the trust,said it would use forthcoming discussions over the next BBC constitution to try to ensure such a secret deal would not happen in future. The settlement announced final week dictates BBC income until at least 2020. Related: Rona Fairhead: ‘The word of a chancellor you should be able to trust’ There has to be an open process with public consultation before any licence fee funding is used for government projects Related: 'Lame duck' BBC Trust chair should quit, says Labour's Chris Bryant Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com