[Neil Jones]

Spotted on the Ofcom emails:

"Ofcom has withdrawn its statement on the renewal process for local TV licences.

Our statement was based on the draft Statutory Instrument which Government had laid in Parliament and which - prior to the announcement of a General Election and dissolution of Parliament - had been expected to be approved over the course of the summer.

It will be for the next Government to confirm how it will proceed. We will provide an update to the sector following the election."

This could be interesting, as it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that the whole operation is chucked head first into the nearest bin when the existing licences do run out.