Post by Teddy Bear on Jan 12, 2012 22:33:20 GMT
You'd think with the BBC showing 61% of its programmes as repeats, up from a about a third 2 years ago, that their expenses would fall. But as ever, they can always find excuses to reduce quality while increasing their own extravagance.
Expenses for BBC bosses rocket by 20% as a result of move to Salford
By Paul Revoir and Liz Thomas
Last updated at 9:40 PM on 12th January 2012
The expenses of senior BBC bosses have soared by 20 per cent in a year largely as a result of the costly move to Salford.
Executives face fresh accusations of profligacy after spending on rail fares shot up by 57 per cent, while its hotel bill surged by 70 per cent.
Figures, which cover the opening months of the new Media City, show the financial impact of the BBC’s plans to become less ‘London-centric’.
In the latest figures covering a three-month period from April to June 2011, the combined expenses bill of the top 102 senior managers grew to £183,276.
This is a rise of a fifth on the same period of 2010 when the total was £152,257 – and came as the rest of the UK faced an austerity drive.
The relentless shuttling of bosses between London and the North-West pushed the amount spent on rail fares to £47,358 over the three months, up from £29,846 in the same period the previous year.
The total cost of accommodation, which included executives staying overnight, went up from £18,129 to £30,878.
Under its controversial £1.5billion plan, the BBC intends to move 50 per cent of its programming out of London by 2016.
This includes the £200million Salford project as well as relocating more shows to Glasgow, Belfast and Cardiff. Radio 5 Live, children’s TV, sport, BBC Breakfast and parts of the BBC’s new media empire are being relocated to Salford.
Critics say millions of pounds of licence fee cash is being wasted in the name of ‘geographical correctness’.
Some on-screen talent – including BBC Breakfast presenters Sian Williams and Chris Hollins – is refusing to move north.
Many senior manager’s expenses claims included at least one return trip to Salford.
As well as Virgin Trains, another winner from the move appeared to be Holiday Inn at Media City, near the BBC’s new offices.
Peter Salmon, who is in charge of the move of thousands of staff from London to the Media City site in Salford, spent £2,400 on trips between the capital and Manchester.
Mr Salmon came under fire when it emerged he would only be renting a flat near the Salford site because he did not want to move his wife, former Coronation Street actress Sarah Lancashire, and family while his children were still in school. But it has now been confirmed he will buy a home in the area this year.
Former chief operating officer of BBC North, Richard Deverell, racked up £584 in rail fares to Salford in one week, making three separate trips in seven days.
At a time when the BBC is bracing itself for the biggest cuts in its history, expenses for hospitality went up by 39 per cent from £20,997 in April to June 2010 to £29,160 in the same period of 2011.
BBC Breakfast presenters Sian Williams and Chris Hollins are two of those who have refused to make the move north
This appeared in part to have been been driven by the BBC paying for group meals to discuss how to make 20 per cent cuts under its Delivering Quality First project.
One executive Jessica Cecil, the head of the director general’s office who is paid a total of £130,000, claimed almost £832 for a series of dinners or functions to talk about the project.
Chief Operating Officer Caroline Thomson also claimed £403 in ‘internal hospitality’ for a ‘work stream dinner’ – for a group of bosses to discuss the savings project in April and a further claim for almost £100 for a similar event.
The BBC pointed out that the cost of flights had fallen 2 per cent year on year to £44,675
The corporation however made significant progress with its taxi bills posting a 25 per cent reduction, to £23,594.
And last night campaign groups warned that the broadcaster had been given ‘ample’ time to plan for the relocation and should not use it as an ‘excuse’ for spiralling rail fares and hotels.
Emma Boon, campaign director for the TaxPayers’ Alliance pressure group, said: ‘It is good that the BBC has reduced spending on taxis since last year, but execs have had ample time to plan and co-ordinate the move to Salford, so they shouldn’t use it as an excuse for spending more on rail travel and hotels.
‘At a time when they need to cut spending it beggars belief that the Beeb’s hospitality outgoings have increased so drastically.
Bosses should look at cutting outgoings on hotels, hospitality and travel, before reducing output elsewhere or asking for an increase in the licence fee from their audience, many of whom are tightening their own belts.’
BBC spokesman said: ‘These expenses cover the opening months of the BBC’s new HQ at MediaCityUK when executives needed to split their time between London and Salford. With BBC North now fully operational we expect travel and accommodation costs will come down.’
A BBC spokesman added: ‘We continue to be mindful of how we spend public money and have made good progress in tightening our expenditure in areas such as taxis and flights. We will continue to drive down costs wherever possible.’
By Paul Revoir and Liz Thomas
Last updated at 9:40 PM on 12th January 2012
The expenses of senior BBC bosses have soared by 20 per cent in a year largely as a result of the costly move to Salford.
Executives face fresh accusations of profligacy after spending on rail fares shot up by 57 per cent, while its hotel bill surged by 70 per cent.
Figures, which cover the opening months of the new Media City, show the financial impact of the BBC’s plans to become less ‘London-centric’.
In the latest figures covering a three-month period from April to June 2011, the combined expenses bill of the top 102 senior managers grew to £183,276.
This is a rise of a fifth on the same period of 2010 when the total was £152,257 – and came as the rest of the UK faced an austerity drive.
The relentless shuttling of bosses between London and the North-West pushed the amount spent on rail fares to £47,358 over the three months, up from £29,846 in the same period the previous year.
The total cost of accommodation, which included executives staying overnight, went up from £18,129 to £30,878.
Under its controversial £1.5billion plan, the BBC intends to move 50 per cent of its programming out of London by 2016.
This includes the £200million Salford project as well as relocating more shows to Glasgow, Belfast and Cardiff. Radio 5 Live, children’s TV, sport, BBC Breakfast and parts of the BBC’s new media empire are being relocated to Salford.
Critics say millions of pounds of licence fee cash is being wasted in the name of ‘geographical correctness’.
Some on-screen talent – including BBC Breakfast presenters Sian Williams and Chris Hollins – is refusing to move north.
Many senior manager’s expenses claims included at least one return trip to Salford.
As well as Virgin Trains, another winner from the move appeared to be Holiday Inn at Media City, near the BBC’s new offices.
Peter Salmon, who is in charge of the move of thousands of staff from London to the Media City site in Salford, spent £2,400 on trips between the capital and Manchester.
Mr Salmon came under fire when it emerged he would only be renting a flat near the Salford site because he did not want to move his wife, former Coronation Street actress Sarah Lancashire, and family while his children were still in school. But it has now been confirmed he will buy a home in the area this year.
Former chief operating officer of BBC North, Richard Deverell, racked up £584 in rail fares to Salford in one week, making three separate trips in seven days.
At a time when the BBC is bracing itself for the biggest cuts in its history, expenses for hospitality went up by 39 per cent from £20,997 in April to June 2010 to £29,160 in the same period of 2011.
BBC Breakfast presenters Sian Williams and Chris Hollins are two of those who have refused to make the move north
This appeared in part to have been been driven by the BBC paying for group meals to discuss how to make 20 per cent cuts under its Delivering Quality First project.
One executive Jessica Cecil, the head of the director general’s office who is paid a total of £130,000, claimed almost £832 for a series of dinners or functions to talk about the project.
Chief Operating Officer Caroline Thomson also claimed £403 in ‘internal hospitality’ for a ‘work stream dinner’ – for a group of bosses to discuss the savings project in April and a further claim for almost £100 for a similar event.
The BBC pointed out that the cost of flights had fallen 2 per cent year on year to £44,675
The corporation however made significant progress with its taxi bills posting a 25 per cent reduction, to £23,594.
And last night campaign groups warned that the broadcaster had been given ‘ample’ time to plan for the relocation and should not use it as an ‘excuse’ for spiralling rail fares and hotels.
Emma Boon, campaign director for the TaxPayers’ Alliance pressure group, said: ‘It is good that the BBC has reduced spending on taxis since last year, but execs have had ample time to plan and co-ordinate the move to Salford, so they shouldn’t use it as an excuse for spending more on rail travel and hotels.
‘At a time when they need to cut spending it beggars belief that the Beeb’s hospitality outgoings have increased so drastically.
Bosses should look at cutting outgoings on hotels, hospitality and travel, before reducing output elsewhere or asking for an increase in the licence fee from their audience, many of whom are tightening their own belts.’
BBC spokesman said: ‘These expenses cover the opening months of the BBC’s new HQ at MediaCityUK when executives needed to split their time between London and Salford. With BBC North now fully operational we expect travel and accommodation costs will come down.’
A BBC spokesman added: ‘We continue to be mindful of how we spend public money and have made good progress in tightening our expenditure in areas such as taxis and flights. We will continue to drive down costs wherever possible.’