Post by Teddy Bear on Feb 15, 2012 13:25:17 GMT
A few things here that show just how insidious and immoral the BBC machinations truly are.
First is this: The BBC spent £4million laying off staff – only for nearly half of them to continue working as normal. The money was paid to around 70 workers as compensation because their posts were being relocated north to Salford. But after accepting the ‘redundancy’ money – £57,000 each, on average – about 17 of them simply carried on in the same jobs, it is understood.
Despite shelling out millions in ‘compensation’ to the 70 or so staff from S&PP not moving to Salford, the Corporation found it still needed some of them because its new centre was not yet fully operational. So it ended up temporarily keeping 17 of the ‘laid off’ staffers on the payroll in London, to ensure its programmes could remain on air, while simultaneously paying a new set of employees in Salford.
As a result, BBC Sport ran a ‘dual operation’ in London and Salford at a monthly cost of £45,000.
Fifteen of those given the cash to leave the BBC then moved north to work for a private contractor supplying staff to the Salford base. A BBC source said: ‘As well as these 17, approximately a further 15 staff took the “compensation” cash and quit the BBC, but then moved up to Salford anyway and were hired by the new set-up to do exactly the same jobs.’
These decisions were taken despite the BBC’s own rule banning the immediate re-hiring of staff who had been made redundant.
It recently emerged that only 16 Salford residents have secured full-time roles at BBC North, and that the BBC has spent £11million on ferrying staff from elsewhere in Britain to Salford and putting them up in hotels.
Bear in mind that the person put in charge of this 'move' also received quite a healthy bonus. But the BBC still feels righteous enough to criticize bankers. Now we come to this 'justification from the BBC
The BBC stressed: ‘None of the licence fee was used. It was commercial income funded by BBC Commercial Holdings.’
Although the £4million sum was funded by the BBC’s commercial arm, rather than from the licence fee coffers, the BBC relies on profits from its commercial activities to keep the licence fee as low as possible.
In other words, however you choose to phrase it - it comes out of the licence fee.
First is this: The BBC spent £4million laying off staff – only for nearly half of them to continue working as normal. The money was paid to around 70 workers as compensation because their posts were being relocated north to Salford. But after accepting the ‘redundancy’ money – £57,000 each, on average – about 17 of them simply carried on in the same jobs, it is understood.
Despite shelling out millions in ‘compensation’ to the 70 or so staff from S&PP not moving to Salford, the Corporation found it still needed some of them because its new centre was not yet fully operational. So it ended up temporarily keeping 17 of the ‘laid off’ staffers on the payroll in London, to ensure its programmes could remain on air, while simultaneously paying a new set of employees in Salford.
As a result, BBC Sport ran a ‘dual operation’ in London and Salford at a monthly cost of £45,000.
Fifteen of those given the cash to leave the BBC then moved north to work for a private contractor supplying staff to the Salford base. A BBC source said: ‘As well as these 17, approximately a further 15 staff took the “compensation” cash and quit the BBC, but then moved up to Salford anyway and were hired by the new set-up to do exactly the same jobs.’
These decisions were taken despite the BBC’s own rule banning the immediate re-hiring of staff who had been made redundant.
It recently emerged that only 16 Salford residents have secured full-time roles at BBC North, and that the BBC has spent £11million on ferrying staff from elsewhere in Britain to Salford and putting them up in hotels.
Bear in mind that the person put in charge of this 'move' also received quite a healthy bonus. But the BBC still feels righteous enough to criticize bankers. Now we come to this 'justification from the BBC
The BBC stressed: ‘None of the licence fee was used. It was commercial income funded by BBC Commercial Holdings.’
Although the £4million sum was funded by the BBC’s commercial arm, rather than from the licence fee coffers, the BBC relies on profits from its commercial activities to keep the licence fee as low as possible.
In other words, however you choose to phrase it - it comes out of the licence fee.
Half of BBC staff who pocketed £4m pay-off carried on working in the same job
By Sam Greenhill
The BBC spent £4million laying off staff – only for nearly half of them to continue working as normal.
The money was paid to around 70 workers as compensation because their posts were being relocated north to Salford.
But after accepting the ‘redundancy’ money – £57,000 each, on average – about 17 of them simply carried on in the same jobs, it is understood.
A further 15 or so others pocketed the money and then decided to move to Salford anyway – where they were re-hired to do the same work, albeit for private companies.
BBC Breakfast, Radio 5 Live and the Children’s and Sport departments are among those relocating from Television Centre in London to Media City in Salford.
Critics have branded the £877million relocation project a politically correct sop to the regions, and a waste of money.
BBC Breakfast host Sian Williams is among several who have chosen to quit rather than relocate their families, while Stephen Fry has also refused to take part.
The ‘redundancy’ cash row concerns BBC Studios and Post Production (S&PP), a company wholly owned by the BBC which supplies studios and facilities for programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing, Blue Peter and EastEnders.
Despite shelling out millions in ‘compensation’ to the 70 or so staff from S&PP not moving to Salford, the Corporation found it still needed some of them because its new centre was not yet fully operational.
So it ended up temporarily keeping 17 of the ‘laid off’ staffers on the payroll in London, to ensure its programmes could remain on air, while simultaneously paying a new set of employees in Salford.
As a result, BBC Sport ran a ‘dual operation’ in London and Salford at a monthly cost of £45,000.
Fifteen of those given the cash to leave the BBC then moved north to work for a private contractor supplying staff to the Salford base.
A BBC source said: ‘As well as these 17, approximately a further 15 staff took the “compensation” cash and quit the BBC, but then moved up to Salford anyway and were hired by the new set-up to do exactly the same jobs.’
These decisions were taken despite the BBC’s own rule banning the immediate re-hiring of staff who had been made redundant.
It recently emerged that only 16 Salford residents have secured full-time roles at BBC North, and that the BBC has spent £11million on ferrying staff from elsewhere in Britain to Salford and putting them up in hotels.
Emma Boon, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘The BBC could have saved millions by not making these unnecessary payouts.
‘If staff are genuinely being made redundant because of the move to Salford then it is understandable that they will be entitled to some compensation for the loss of their job.
‘This looks like a cosy deal to look after certain employees who were going to move anyway.
‘Licence fee payers were told that the move north was to save money, yet stories like this won’t do anything to inspire confidence in Auntie’s ability to get good value.’
Although the £4million sum was funded by the BBC’s commercial arm, rather than from the licence fee coffers, the BBC relies on profits from its commercial activities to keep the licence fee as low as possible.
The BBC stressed: ‘None of the licence fee was used. It was commercial income funded by BBC Commercial Holdings.’
It confirmed some staff did stay on working ‘to help manage the transfer of the operation’ but said they did not receive their payoffs until they left.
It said the BBC was ‘not aware’ of 15 other staff moving up to Salford and being re-employed by the private companies that run the BBC’s studios.
Neither of these private companies would comment.
By Sam Greenhill
The BBC spent £4million laying off staff – only for nearly half of them to continue working as normal.
The money was paid to around 70 workers as compensation because their posts were being relocated north to Salford.
But after accepting the ‘redundancy’ money – £57,000 each, on average – about 17 of them simply carried on in the same jobs, it is understood.
A further 15 or so others pocketed the money and then decided to move to Salford anyway – where they were re-hired to do the same work, albeit for private companies.
BBC Breakfast, Radio 5 Live and the Children’s and Sport departments are among those relocating from Television Centre in London to Media City in Salford.
Critics have branded the £877million relocation project a politically correct sop to the regions, and a waste of money.
BBC Breakfast host Sian Williams is among several who have chosen to quit rather than relocate their families, while Stephen Fry has also refused to take part.
SWITCH FROM 'STAFF' TO 'FREELANCE' WILL ALSO SLASH THEIR TAX BILLS
Higher-rate taxpayers - those paying 40 per cent - can make dramatic savings on tax by switching from 'staff' to 'freelance', writes Andrew Oxlade. By setting up a 'company' and continuing to work in the same job but as a contractor you can pay 20 per cent corporation tax.
This means you escape higher rate tax of 40 per cent but also national insurance of 12 per cent on your basic earnings. The full details of how to do this are explained here. However, experts say it is unwise to 'do a Friday to Monday' - quit work one week but continue working as a contractor the next week. HM Revenue & Customs may deem this to be a tax dodge.
The practice has become extremely popular in areas that have seen an explosion in earnings in recent years - among bankers and sports stars in particular. There are now an estimated 600,000 one-man businesses registered in the UK.
The ‘redundancy’ cash row concerns BBC Studios and Post Production (S&PP), a company wholly owned by the BBC which supplies studios and facilities for programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing, Blue Peter and EastEnders.
Despite shelling out millions in ‘compensation’ to the 70 or so staff from S&PP not moving to Salford, the Corporation found it still needed some of them because its new centre was not yet fully operational.
So it ended up temporarily keeping 17 of the ‘laid off’ staffers on the payroll in London, to ensure its programmes could remain on air, while simultaneously paying a new set of employees in Salford.
As a result, BBC Sport ran a ‘dual operation’ in London and Salford at a monthly cost of £45,000.
Fifteen of those given the cash to leave the BBC then moved north to work for a private contractor supplying staff to the Salford base.
A BBC source said: ‘As well as these 17, approximately a further 15 staff took the “compensation” cash and quit the BBC, but then moved up to Salford anyway and were hired by the new set-up to do exactly the same jobs.’
These decisions were taken despite the BBC’s own rule banning the immediate re-hiring of staff who had been made redundant.
It recently emerged that only 16 Salford residents have secured full-time roles at BBC North, and that the BBC has spent £11million on ferrying staff from elsewhere in Britain to Salford and putting them up in hotels.
Emma Boon, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘The BBC could have saved millions by not making these unnecessary payouts.
‘If staff are genuinely being made redundant because of the move to Salford then it is understandable that they will be entitled to some compensation for the loss of their job.
‘This looks like a cosy deal to look after certain employees who were going to move anyway.
‘Licence fee payers were told that the move north was to save money, yet stories like this won’t do anything to inspire confidence in Auntie’s ability to get good value.’
Although the £4million sum was funded by the BBC’s commercial arm, rather than from the licence fee coffers, the BBC relies on profits from its commercial activities to keep the licence fee as low as possible.
The BBC stressed: ‘None of the licence fee was used. It was commercial income funded by BBC Commercial Holdings.’
It confirmed some staff did stay on working ‘to help manage the transfer of the operation’ but said they did not receive their payoffs until they left.
It said the BBC was ‘not aware’ of 15 other staff moving up to Salford and being re-employed by the private companies that run the BBC’s studios.
Neither of these private companies would comment.