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The Local News Fund Steering Board

The Local News Fund Steering Board has now been appointed. The purpose of the steering board is to play an advisory role in providing independent expertise and objective advice to DCMS in the decision-making process for distribution of funding under the Local News Fund.

This includes a role in setting the bidding and eligibility criteria for the Local News Fund. In convening this board, DCMS aims to benefit from a wide range of experience of the local media sector and related industries. This will help to ensure value for money in the distribution of funding and that the best bids are selected for Local News Fund grants, for the benefit of local media and the communities that they serve. Terms of Reference will be published on this page once agreed by the board.

The steering board comprises eight members, including two co-chairs. The DCMS Senior Responsible Owner for the Fund will also attend meetings. The Board may also agree to invite others to attend on an ad hoc basis to provide specialist knowledge if and when required. The membership is:

  • Jeremy Clifford (co-chair): Executive Media Consultant, Chrysalis Transformations - previously at JPI Media and Archant
  • Polly Curtis (co-chair): Chief Executive at Demos - previous experience at the Guardian, Huffpost UK, Tortoise Media and PA Media
  • George Adelman: Managing Director and Head of Philanthropic Partnerships, FT Strategies
  • John Baron: editor and cofounder of the West Leeds Dispatch; Advisory Board Member of the Independent Community News Network
  • Agnes Gulyas: Professor of Media and Communications, Canterbury Christ Church University
  • Jaldeep Katwala: Director, Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity, Birmingham City University; previously Network Manager for the Public Interest News Foundation; Non Executive Director of the Bristol Cable
  • Owen Meredith: Managing Director of Public Policy, DMGT - previously CEO of the News Media Association
  • Lorna Willis: CEO of Techskills - previously CEO at Archant Community Media