Every BBC Local Radio station has its own Local Advisory Council whose main role is to provide the station with independent feedback about its output.

The BBC Radio Cumbria Local Advisory Council offers advice and feedback to the BBC on local radio programmes and regional television, as well as identifying issues of common concern to licence-payers in the region.

Feedback from across the UK is co-ordinated and presented to Governors, who act as trustees of the public interest and ensure that the BBC fulfils its obligations.

We have 12 members from a wide range of backgrounds, ages and interests and spread across the county, who meet six times a year to offer advice and feedback on BBC programmes.

Two of our members also sit on the North West Regional Advisory Council in which reports on regional television from Manchester and the North East Regional Advisory Council in Newcastle. Both attend the regional meetings to make sure that the Cumbrian voice is heard - we're probably the only council in the country with members on two regional councils.

The role of the Advisory Council could not be more important. The BBC is accountable to its licence-payers and we like to think that our LAC forms a vital part of the accountability process. As well as providing impartial feedback on programme content, presentation and scheduling, we let the BBC know our opinion on any matter we care to raise - whether they ask for it or not!

Cumbria coverage is a big issue - we are working hard to make sure we get our fair share - people in Cumbria get their programmes from Manchester or Newcastle and we have been working very hard to get more stories about Cumbria on regional TV. And not just quantity - it's also about quality of coverage - Cumbria isn't just about rams and rambling. There is a whole economy here, and many diverse communities that want to see news about Cumbria, not just Manchester and Newcastle.

We're served by what I believe is the best and most professional radio station in the country, and sometimes it's hard to extract criticism - but we always manage to achieve it. Hopefully it's always constructive and justified and provides the station with the information it needs to maintain the highest standards.

Successes

We know that the Advisory Councils produce results. It's sometimes little things like making sure we get a photo of Cumbria in the credits but feedback can produce big improvements. For example we used to have a couple of minutes of regional news after the national evening news - now we have seven - and that happened as a direct result of lobbying from local advisory councils.

What do we talk about?

A typical recent meeting at Rheged covered:

BBC Radio Cumbria afternoon and Sunday morning programmes in detail

TV Programmes ranging from the Teenagers series to national news

We also managed to get senior BBC management from Newcastle and Manchester to attend to discuss regional coverage of Cumbria.

The Station Editor Nigel Dyson attends each meeting to hear our feedback and to inform members about developments at Radio Cumbria. Presenters and producers attend the meetings regularly, which gives them the chance to talk things over in detail.

How can you get involved?

Council members are appointed for a period of three years, each April. Because they are all appointed at different times, there is a constant influx of new opinions. When vacancies for the council arise, they will be advertised on this website, on BBC Radio Cumbria and in local press.

In the meantime you can still contribute. If you have any opinions that you would like to share with BBC Radio Cumbria you can telephone us on 01228 592444, email: [email protected] or write to us at Feedback, BBC Radio Cumbria, Annetwell Street, Carlisle, CA3 8BB

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