Councils under BBC scrutiny

Strictly speaking, this isn’t about digital local government but I’ve heard of a fascinating exercise being planned by the BBC to see how local authorities and the communities they serve are coping with spending cuts.

Editors planning the project are involving all their local radio stations and regional TV output.

It’ll be an early opportunity for some of the new political reporters based on local radio stations to cut their teeth (we exclusively revealed that story in December).

It’s hoped the comprehensive nature of their project will appeal to the ‘big brothers’ in Television Centre and Broadcasting House to include the results in national programmes.

I understand the offerings include a survey of chief executives on their progress coping with the impact of the recession and local people being asked to consider the type of cuts they would tolerate - and those they would not.

A start date has not been settled but 1 March is thought to be the favourite.

They can’t leave it too long: it’s the sort or thing the BBC would want to get out of the way before battle commences on an official general election campaign some time in April.