Former Rutland Radio presenter Rob Persani to lead community radio initiative with Rutland County Council

Former Rutland Radio presenter Rob Persani has been appointed project manager for a new community radio initiative.

The new project will look at whether it is feasible to establish a community radio station for Rutland.

The decision follows a rebranding of the county’s current radio station Rutland Radio, which on Tuesday became part of the Greatest Hits Radio network with a focus on more national content

Rob, who hosted his last show on Saturday last week (August 29) after more than two decades with Rutland Radio, will oversee the project to establish if a community radio station could be set up and sustained locally.

He said: “It's already evident that there’s lots of support for a radio station that focuses solely on the local community.

"I'm proud to have helped do that here in Rutland over the past 21 years or so.

"As the county’s existing radio station heads in a new direction, I'm excited to get underway with this project and find out what is possible.”

A framework for the project is still being finalised and Rutland County Council will provide updates as work begins and more information becomes available.

Council leader, Oliver Hemsley, said: “A great many people feel very strongly about the important role that local radio can have in representing communities and keeping them informed.

"I’ve received lots of enquiries from people expressing an interest and wanting to help since we announced we would be looking at the viability of a community-focused station for Rutland.

"To help with this project, we are fortunate to be able to draw on Rob’s extensive experience – not just of the radio industry but also Rutland as a county.”