BBC Trust

The full text of Sir Michael's letter to the Secretary of State is below.

The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP

Secretary of State for Culture, the Olympics, Media & Sport

Department for Culture, Media & Sport

2-4 Cockspur Street

London

SW1Y 5DH

14 September 2010

Dear Jeremy

As my four-year term as Chair of the BBC Trust enters its last eight months, I have taken time over the summer to reflect on whether I would want to be considered for reappointment.

It has been a privilege to lead the BBC Trust and to make a reality of the model established in the 2007 Charter. For all the continuing debate, I am clear that this model is robust, workable and effective. I am proud of what we have achieved in safeguarding the BBC's independence against significant challenge, and bringing the interests of audiences in all their diversity to the centre of the BBC's thinking. We have worked to shape BBC services in a way which maximises public value and secures the highest editorial standards, at the same time seeking to ensure that the BBC operates within clear boundaries and cooperates effectively with others. We have taken openness and transparency to a new level. Most important of all, under the Trust's guardianship – and with the leadership of the Director General and his team – the quality and public service focus of the BBC's output has improved and the public's affection for the BBC has strengthened. Much of course remains to be done, but I think that this represents good progress and a strong foundation on which to build.

For all the positives associated with this agenda, I have to acknowledge that the role of Chairman has been far more demanding than the nominal three to four days a week in the job specification. It is of course a compelling aspect of working at the BBC that it can become an all-consuming part of one's life – and this applies equally to the staff across the BBC whose great commitment helps underpin its position as the world's leading public broadcaster. But this workload has now reached a point where I am increasingly concerned that it is crowding out other appointments to which I remain committed and other activity that I wish to undertake. So balancing all the factors I have on reflection concluded that my preference would be to limit my appointment to a single term and not seek reappointment from next May. I raise this now both to set a clear context for our forthcoming discussions on policy issues and to leave you enough time to find a successor.

In the meantime, you can be assured that I will give my full energy to the Trust's important agenda in the months ahead. This includes both the continuing public debate about funding and other issues, and our work to conclude the Strategy Review, not least its strand on value for money, which will shape the BBC for the years ahead.

While it is not normal practice to make correspondence between the BBC Chairman and the Secretary of State public, given the public interest in this matter and in the interests of openness and transparency the BBC Trust will shortly be publishing this letter.

Yours,

Michael

Sir Michael Lyons

Chairman, BBC Trust