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Lifeboats get taxed by Ofcom

Rules for the efficient use of radio spectrum hit the lifeboat charity

Rules for the efficient use of radio spectrum hit the lifeboat
Published on by on UK Free TV
The Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) is a charity that rescues leisure and professionals water users when they are in distress.

The organizational, formed in 1824, receives no public funding at all and runs the rescue service on public donations.

However, one small benefit the charity has receive from the state, until now, was free use of part of the radio spectrum for use for their VHF radio system.

However, Ofcom has been charged, under the Communications Act 2003, to make the most economic use of the very limited radio frequencies.

It already charges the police for TETRA, and the Ministry of Defence and other government departments for uses of the radio frequencies by the NHS Ambulance and fire services.

Whilst the efficient use of the radio spectrum is a laudable goal, and will potentially introduce wireless broadband services (WiMax), the cost to the RNLI is estimated at 250,000 a year.

Ofcom is legally bound to charge for radio frequencies and this is set to bring in considerable revenue to government - or taxes as we call them! You can find out more about this at www.ukfree.tv link icon Digital Dividend Sale: possible services - ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002 .

There is a petition at www.freernliradio.com link icon http://www.freernliradio.com/.

More here: news.google.co.uk link icon ofcom rnli - Google News





Your comments: most recent posts are at the bottom


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Jordy
Wednesday 15 October 2008 10:38AM
The difference being all these services have yearly budgets, the RNLI is completely reliant on donations from you and me... I feel strongly that this is the saddest thing OFCOCK has ever come up with, living in a seaside town having family through generations of service and my Uncle Jeff who was lost at sea during service with the RNLI. I'm disgusted, just makes you really disappointed in what these halfwits come up with... Whats next...
Briantist
Wednesday 15 October 2008 1:23PM
Jordy: But Ofcom is doing what it has been commissioned to do. The fault is with the politicians who enacted the Communications Act 2003, not Ofcom, surely?
The Act seems to be quite clear, everyone pays... www.opsi.gov.uk link icon Communications Act 2003 (c. 21) - there are no exceptions.
Mark Aberfan Aerials
Wednesday 15 October 2008 3:57PM
Hi, As ofcom has dual responsability to both the public & the government, could it not make a public interest case to the minister in charge for a exclusion for the rnli or for some kind of tax refund to cover the cost to the rnli. I like jordy, feel some kind of help should be offered to the rnli & the past "gifted" bandwith status should be seen as previous acceptance by the government that the rnli are a special case. Mark Aberfan Aerials
Briantist
Wednesday 15 October 2008 4:10PM
Mark Aberfan Aerials: Yes, section 156 says

'Directions with respect to the radio spectrum

(1) The Secretary of State may by order give general or specific directions to OFCOM about the carrying out by OFCOM of their functions under the enactments relating to the management of the radio spectrum.'


Jordy
Wednesday 22 October 2008 2:16PM
I've now heard that OFCOM will grant a special dispensation to the RNLI, they will pay £20,000 initally to maintain the use of their frequencies for a yet undisclosed length of time... 20 grand is still a lot of money to a charity but its certainly good news!
Briantist
Wednesday 22 October 2008 2:25PM
Jordy: Oh, that's good news. The Ofcom statement is here .. www.ofcom.org.uk link icon RNLI radio boost | Ofcom
Mark Aberfan Aerials
Wednesday 5 November 2008 5:24PM
Hi,
I just recieved this from no 10.

Read the Government’s response
Although this petition is not due to close until 8 October 2009, Ofcom have contacted the Prime Minister’s office, and asked that we publish the following clarification:

Ofcom has been consulting on introducing spectrum pricing to the aeronautical and maritime sectors. We are doing this because radio spectrum is a scarce and valuable resource and lots of different users want to use it. It’s important that it is managed as efficiently as possible, because then society as a whole can get the most out of the finite amount available.

One of the ways that we try to achieve this is by charging users for the spectrum - or airwaves - they use. This already includes a huge array of public and private sector users, including MOD, NHS, ambulance, police and taxi firms. But we recognise the special position of safety of life charities, which is why they receive a 50 per cent discount on their current fees.

What we are proposing in the maritime case is simply to change the ways fees are worked out so that they aren’t based on the admin costs of issuing a licence, but on how much spectrum is used. Under our proposals the RNLI might actually pay less than they do now. We estimate that they could pay around £20,000 compared to the £40,000 that they currently pay.

The consultation closed at the end of last month. Ofcom will now take stock of the responses, and any updates will be posted on the Ofcom website (www.ofcom.org
Mark Aberfan Aerials
Briantist
Thursday 6 November 2008 1:26PM
Mark Aberfan Aerials: That sounds like good news... I hope so for the RNLI's sake.
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