MINUTES OF THE BBC TRUST MEETING Held on Wednesday 21 March 2012 in the BBC Trust boardroom, Great Portland Street, London Present: Lord Patten Chairman Diane Coyle Vice Chairman Richard Ayre Trust member Anthony Fry Trust member Alison Hastings Trust member for England Rotha Johnston Trust member for Northern Ireland David Liddiment Trust member Bill Matthews Trust member for Scotland Mehmuda Mian Trust member Elan Closs Stephens Trust member for Wales Lord Williams Trust member Apologies: Suzanna Taverne Trust member In attendance from the Trust Unit: Nicholas Kroll Director, BBC Trust Alex Towers Deputy Director Phil Harrold Head of Governance Fran O’Brien Head of Editorial Standards Mark Devane Head of Communications Christine Mulryne Business and Events Co-ordinator Items 35 – 41 and 43 Alison Gold Head of Public Services Strategy Items 35 – 41, 44 and 45 Gareth Tuck Chief Financial Adviser Items 35 – 41 and 46 Georgina Hodges Chief Research and Audiences Adviser Item 38 Wendy Bryant Research Manager Items 39 and 43 Stephen Callow Senior Strategy Adviser Item 43 Ann Bastow Adviser, Strategy Items 44 and 45 John Balcombe Finance Analyst Item 46 Natalie Rose Senior Editorial Strategy Adviser Item 46 Kate Hawkins Research Manager From the Executive: Items 42 – 47 Mark Thompson Director-General Items 42 – 47 Caroline Thomson Chief Operating Officer Items 42 – 47 Zarin Patel Chief Financial Officer Items 42 – 47 Jessica Cecil Head of the Director-General's Office Items 42 – 43 Helen Boaden Director, News Group Item 43 David Holdsworth Controller, English Regions Item 43 Gautam Rangarajan Controller, Public Service Policy and Strategy Items 44 and 45 Beverley Tew Director, Finance, Procurement and Revenue Management Items 44 and 45 Ed James Head of Corporate Performance Item 46 David Jordan Director, Editorial Policy and Standards Item 46 James Holden Head of Audiences AGENDA 35 Minutes and matters arising 36 Committees and Audience Councils 37 Director’s report 38 Purpose Remit Survey – 2011-12 findings 39 Delivering Quality First 40 Trust work plan 2012-13 41 Director-General’s objectives 42 Director-General’s monthly report 43 Delivering Quality First 44 Executive finance report 45 BBC Budget 2012-13 - 2014-15 46 Impartiality of the BBC – data publication 47 World Service Broadcasting Agreement 48 Items for noting 49 Business handling and communications 50 Conflicts of Interest 35 MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING 35.1 The Trust approved the minutes of its meeting on 16 February as an accurate record of proceedings. The Trust approved the publication of the minutes with no redactions. 35.2 The Trust noted the matters arising from previous meetings. 36 COMMITTEES AND AUDIENCE COUNCILS 36.1 The Chairman of the Audiences and Performance Committee said that members had discussed the Trust’s commitment to increasing the distinctiveness and quality of BBC output. The Trust would have further discussions on this topic at its annual Services Day, which would take place the following day. 36.2 Trust member Rotha Johnston reported that the Finance Committee had scrutinised the BBC budget for 2012-13, which would be considered by the Trust later in the meeting. She noted that, as part of its consideration of the budget, the committee had discussed the TV licence collection strategy based on the new contract with Capita, which would come into force in July 2012. She reported that the committee had approved the terms of reference for the BBC’s fair trading audit which, following the conclusions of the Trust’s 2011 governance review, would be commissioned by the Executive. 36.3 The Chairman of the Strategy and Approvals Committee noted that the committee had received an update on the progress of YouView, the joint venture between the BBC, ITV, BT, Channel 4, TalkTalk, Arqiva and Channel 5, which would provide subscription-free internet-connected television within the UK. She noted that the service was due to launch later in the year. The committee would continue to receive updates on the BBC’s participation in the venture. 36.4 The Chairman of the International Services Committee reported that the committee had met for the first time. The committee had been established to help the Trust develop the strategy for and assess the performance of the BBC’s international public services, following the conclusions of the governance review. 36.5 The Trust member for Scotland reported that Audience Council Scotland had held its annual conference, which had been attended by the Director-General and the Director, News Group. He said that the Council had discussed current affairs broadcasting in Scotland and issues around BBC Two HD in Scotland. 37 DIRECTOR’S REPORT 37.1 The Director, BBC Trust presented his report, which provided an overview of activity undertaken by the Trust and previewed the key issues to be considered by the Trust at the meeting. 37.2 The Trust noted the communication from Mark Thompson that he intended to resign from the post of Director-General. The Director, BBC Trust updated the Trust on the proposed approach to succession planning. 38 PURPOSE REMIT SURVEY – 2011-12 FINDINGS 38.1 The Trust’s Chief Research and Audiences Adviser presented the findings of the Purpose Remit Survey for 2011-12, which was conducted in order to explore annually the public’s perceptions of the BBC’s performance in promoting the six public purposes set out in the Royal Charter. The Trust also considered the draft findings from a piece of qualitative research on the public’s view of the distinctiveness of programmes and services. 38.2 The Trust discussed the findings of the survey and noted that the overall impression of the BBC across the UK had remained positive. The Trust discussed the ‘performance gaps’ highlighted by the survey; this was where the BBC was perceived as underperforming in relation to particular public purposes. In particular, the Trust discussed the survey’s findings in relation to the two public purposes, ‘representing the UK, its nations, regions and communities’ and ‘stimulating creativity and cultural excellence’. 38.3 The Trust discussed the draft findings of the research on distinctiveness, which had been commissioned in the light of previous years’ surveys, and noted the finding that the BBC had a strong place within a complex and changing broadcast environment. The Trust would consider the final report later in the year. 38.4 The Trust would review the format and approach of the Purpose Remit Survey later in the spring, in line with its commitment to review the survey after five years. The results from the Purpose Remit Survey would be published alongside the BBC’s Annual Report and Accounts in July. 39 DELIVERING QUALITY FIRST 39.1 The Trust’s Deputy Director provided an update on the implementation of the new BBC strategy, Delivering Quality First. Trust members agreed the proposed structure of the final conclusions document, which would be published in May. 39.2 The Deputy Director reported that work was being undertaken by the Strategy and Approvals Committee and the Audiences and Performance Committee on the various regulatory implications and service licence changes arising from the proposals. Members noted that the Trust’s service reviews on BBC Local Radio and the Asian Network were ongoing, and that proposals relating to these services were undergoing regulatory testing. 39.3 The Trust considered a request by the Executive to announce a small number of changes in the Journalism Division. The Trust agreed that the Executive’s proposals in this area were consistent with the strategy set by the Trust, and were shaped by the aim of making the necessary savings on the required timetable while sustaining the BBC’s commitment to its core journalistic output. On this basis, the Trust agreed that it would be appropriate for the Executive to announce those changes which were not subject to further regulatory activity, in advance of the publication of the Trust’s final conclusions in May. 39.4 The Trust would consider its final conclusions on Delivering Quality First together with regulatory conclusions and proposed amendments to service licences at its April meeting. 40 TRUST WORK PLAN 2012-13 40.1 The Trust’s Head of Governance presented the draft work plan for 2012-13, which provided an overview of the Trust’s work in the coming year for licence fee payers and the wider media industry. 40.2 The Trust’s work plan was structured around the four strategic objectives which had been set by the Trust in 2010 as part of the BBC’s strategy, Putting Quality First. These objectives were: o increasing the distinctiveness and quality of BBC output; o improving the value for money the BBC provides to licence fee payers; o setting new standards of openness and transparency; and o doing more to serve all audiences. 40.3 The Trust discussed the work plan, which also included the Audience Councils’ priorities for the year, and considered issues arising from its annual board evaluation. The Trust approved its work plan for 2012-13 subject to minor drafting amendments. The work plan would be published in April. 41 DIRECTOR-GENERAL’S OBJECTIVES 41.1 The Trust discussed an approach for establishing objectives for the Director- General for 2012-13. The Trust had traditionally set objectives for the Director- General, in line with good corporate governance. In September 2011, the Trust had agreed to align the setting of the Director-General’s objectives with the budget and business plan. 41.2 The Trust agreed the proposed approach and agreed to delegate authority to the Chairman to approve the final objectives. 42 DIRECTOR-GENERAL’S MONTHLY REPORT 42.1 The Director-General outlined recent highlights from BBC services, including Empire on BBC One and Lucian Freud: Painted Life on BBC Two.