Report to Forum – Jim Norton

Items to be covered

1. Placing the Forum on a formal footing.

2. Securing funding.

3. Establishing formal governance structures.

4. Progress on “Changing the political weather”

5. Implementing the work programme.

Placing the Forum on a formal footing

Steering Board being formed:

• One representative from each of 12 to 15 large organisations covering a diverse

span of spectrum usage, as voluntary sponsoring members.

• One representative from each of up to 3 small and medium enterprises (SMEs – as

per EU definition), again drawn from a range of sectors, as voluntary sponsoring

members.

• One senior representative from Ofcom.

• One senior representative from the Department of Culture Media & Sport

(DCMS), representing Govt.

• The Chair of the Spectrum Policy Forum.

• The Chairs of the three “clusters” of the Spectrum Policy Forum as non voting

members.

Staff from techUK in attendance in order to facilitate the

meeting and to act as the secretariat.

Securing funding from sponsoring members

• Voluntary annual contribution of £15K from large organisation sponsors.

• Voluntary annual contribution of £3K from SME organisation sponsors.

• Expectation that Government will provide £1 for every £3 of industry sponsorship.

Target budget £200K per annum:

First five large sponsors signed up as well as first SME

sponsor.

Good industry coverage so far, but announcement of

sponsors will be made once full coverage achieved.

Establishing formal governance structures Steering Board will meet four times per year to oversee the

implementation of the agreed work programme on behalf of

the Forum. It will:

• Elect its own Chair and Vice-Chair.

• Receive, and if appropriate, authorise budget proposals.

• Receive work progress reports and financial updates.

• Review, and as appropriate, authorise research proposals

and contracts.

• Provide a report to each meeting of the Plenary.

This Plenary Meeting of the Forum (comprising both sponsor and non-sponsor

members) remains the ultimate body to approve Forum deliverables and

publications. It remains open to all without charge.

Progress on “Changing the political weather”

The following meetings have been held:

• 12th February with DCMS Special Adviser (SPAD) Nick

King.

• 9th April with Rt. Hon. David Willetts MP – Minister of

State for Universities & Science.

The following meeting has been agreed:

• 10th June with Ed Vaizey – Parliamentary Under-

Secretary DCMS.

Meetings are planned with SPADs from Foreign Office,

Home Office, Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office and

finally Treasury.

Implementing the work programme The DCMS Spectrum Strategy did reflect the informal input delivered

on behalf of the Forum including:

• Providing clear single Ministerial governance and leadership on the

release of public sector spectrum.

• Reform of the UK Spectrum Strategy Committee (UKSSC)

including a key role for this Forum…

The first formal deliverable, a response to the DCMS “Infrastructure

Strategy” has been approved by Forum Members without objection.

Forum Cluster Three (about which more later from Tony Lavender) has

been established to complement the work of Clusters One & Two.

The Cluster One Working Group seeking to define 5G is making

excellent progress under Simon Pike’s leadership – again more later.