Rikki Hunt at Swindon FM Picture Ref: 77069-03A NEW radio licence for the Swindon area is up for grabs.

The licence, which is now open to bidders, will cover Swindon and the surrounding area.

It is for a local FM commercial radio station and Ofcom, the independent regulator for the communications industry, believes it will give the winner of the bid access to about 150,000 listeners.

The licence will be issued for a 12-month period.

Ofcom, which is in charge of the application process, will not release the names of companies that have applied until after the closing date.

But one company definitely throwing its hat into the ring is Swindon FM.

The digital station is already operating in the town.

This is permitted on a series of temporary licences.

Rikki Hunt, the chairman of Swindon FM, believes the winning application should be a station run by local people and believes his company fits the bill.

Swindon FM has been running the station in the hope of proving there was a need for it and Mr Hunt feels the firm should be given priority.

He said: "We want the station to be 70 per cent local interest, as far as shareholders are concerned."

Swindon FM was formed in 2000. Mr Hunt said: "We set it up, very expensively, for one month. We then did research and collected data.

"During the last three or four years we have been doing trial licences for a month at a time.

"I've spent four years making sure we will be providing what people want.

"We have worked with the local community and businesses, trying to produce a different radio station with a broader appeal to older people, from 18 and above.

"We have a broader mix rather than just chart music, and a lot of specialist programmes in the evening, featuring jazz, folk and music from the shows.

"Having spent this time proving the need, unbelievably it's now up for grabs for anybody.

"Literally anybody can ride into town now and say 'we want to run that station.'"

Julie McCatty, a spokeswoman for Ofcom, said: "This is an open competition for a local commercial radio licence.

"It is awarded to the applicant who best meets the criteria."

The criteria include catering to the tastes and interests of local people, broadening listeners' choice and the extent of demand or support for the service.

Ofcom also takes into consideration the commitment to locally-made programmes.

The closing date for applications is Thursday June 2.