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Print12:22 pm, January 19, 2009
BBC defends relocation assistance for employees
By Richard Morris
The BBC has been criticised after it emerged licence fee payers will have to fork out to cover the cost of staff relocating from London to Salford.
Under the Beeb’s plans, some employees will get up to £3,000 to spend on items such as carpets and curtains for their new properties in the North. Staff on permanent contracts will also have the price of their London home guaranteed, with potential losses on the sale being covered by the BBC. A spokesman for the Tax Payers’ Alliance said the news was a “slap in the face” for taxpayers.
The corporation is moving five departments from London to its new base at Salford Quays by 2011, and has said any assistance for staff must be affordable and deliver value for money. The BBC said many staff would be renting following the move and so would not need an allowance for furnishings such as carpets, while other employees will not attract help because of their contractual status.
The BBC also claims a house price purchase scheme would only be likely to affect a minority of staff.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We seek to offer relocation assistance which is comparable to that offered across the private and public sectors and within clear limits. A review of the assistance available, in light of the current difficult economic climate, is currently being undertaken with a view to announcing any necessary revisions to the relocation package in the coming weeks. This is important because some staff will shortly be making decisions about the move.”
Comments? rmorris@crain.com
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