The activities and resourcing of the BBC's Audience Councils are outlined in the Audience Council Protocol which was published following its approval by the BBC Trust in 2007. This Protocol includes information about the key objectives and responsibilities of the Audience Councils and their relationship with the BBC Trust, management and local audiences. Information about the other Protocols which provide a basis for the work of the BBC Trust and its network of advisory bodies is available on the Trust's website.

The following extract outlines the protocol with regard to the Regional Audience Councils:

Audience Council England is supported by a network of Regional Audience Councils, one for each of the BBC's broadcasting regions in England. Their constitution and operation mirrors that of the four national Audience Councils but there are some significant differences as described below.

The English Regional Audience Councils (RACs) have a particular role to play in keeping Audience Council England in touch with what people in their region think about the services provided for them by the BBC.

This is in addition to their participation in the Trust's formal consultations and the identification of wider audience views based on the needs, interests and concerns of the diverse communities which the regional council membership largely aims to reflect and to understand through its public engagement.

The Regional Audience Councils assist the Audience Council England in meeting its Charter Responsibility to assess and reflect the views of licence fee payers in their region primarily by monitoring and reviewing local and regional BBC services, and those BBC network services which portray and reflect their region and the people who live there. Councils will also have the opportunity to participate in the Trust's consultations at the Chair's discretion.

Each council is charged with engaging with a broad cross-section of licence fee payers in their region with the aim of increasing members' understanding of the needs, interests and concerns of the wider audience and so assisting the members in their assessments of BBC services and policies.

A programme of outreach activity and degree of participation by members will be agreed by each council. This will largely be aligned with the Trust's work cycle and that of the national Audience Council but will also offer opportunities for each council to focus on particular local issues and regional audience priorities.

Each Regional Audience Council has a minimum of 16 members including the Chair, drawn from a range of backgrounds and balanced as far as possible to be broadly reflective of the views of audiences throughout the transmission area, for example in terms of geographical location, disability, ethnic or national origin, gender, and age.

Members are appointed as individuals and not as representatives of particular interest groups, but an active involvement with various local communities and local networks is sought in order to help broaden councils' deliberations.

About a quarter of the membership is required to listen regularly to one or more of the BBC Local Radio stations in the region and to report on performance to the regional council.

Regional Audience Council members may resign their membership by giving notice in writing to the Chair.

Membership may automatically be terminated if a member fails to attend three or more consecutive meetings of the council without the consent of the Chair.

Additionally, membership of a council may be terminated by the Trustee for England with the approval of Audience Council England. If the Trustee is considering terminating the membership of a Regional Audience Council member, the member will be provided with written notice setting out the grounds for the proposed termination and an invitation to a meeting with the Regional Audience Council Chair to discuss the grounds for the proposed termination. If the Trustee and Audience Council England decide to terminate the membership, they will provide reasons for the termination.

The Chairs of the Regional Audience Councils are appointed by the BBC Trust and will be the principal link between the Regional Audience Councils, the Audience Council England and the Trust.

The Chair, supported by their accountability manager, will be responsible for communicating and reflecting the issues and concerns raised by the Regional Audience Council to Audience Council England and reporting back to the Regional Audience Council the position and views of Audience Council England.

The Chair is responsible for agreeing the annual workplan and meeting agendas for the Regional Audience Council and ensuring that the workplan is appropriately aligned to the Trust's business cycle, as well as reflecting issues of concern to audiences in the region.

In addition the Chair will encourage each member to contribute to debates and Trust consultations by providing a supportive framework for meetings, ensure they are given adequate time and appropriate aids for service review and responses to consultations, and generally assist them to fulfil their obligations as audience council members.

Each Regional Audience Council will be supported by a professional accountability manager employed by the BBC Trust and working to the direction of the Head of Governance and Accountability England. Such support will include the provision of information and general administration to enable the councils to assist and advise Audience Council England in order to meet its Charter responsibility. Each new Regional Audience Council member will receive a local induction co-ordinated by the Head of Governance and Accountability and the local accountability manager.

The annual budget for each Regional Audience Council will be agreed by the BBC Trust as part of the overall budget for the Audience Councils in England.

The Council would like to hear your thoughts about how it is reflecting your views and any suggestions you may want to be considered in the future.

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