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| Quote: The latest release of BBC expense claims reveals that BBC comedy commissioning controller Shane Allen spent £120 on cupcakes for staff. He ordered 48 cakes last autumn to thank staff for working on two shows. Allen’s was the cherry on the top of a number of claims by executives who wanted to show their gratitude for staff’s labours through food and drink. Former human resources director Lucy Adams spent £321 on a dinner for six as part of an “HR director awayday”, while director of workplace & safety Paul Greeves spent £475 on “thank you drinks for successful procurement team (19 people)”. Outgoing head of drama production Kate Harwood also spent £984.38 on a leaving party attended by 15 people for a series consultant who was departing after 18 years. Taxis are a regular feature of the quarterly expenses claims and this quarter – which the BBC calls Q3 2013-14 – was no different. Head of TV sport Philip Bernie spent £108.49 on a minicab on 4 December last year, almost the same price as a ticket from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, while non-independent director Brian McBride spent £80 on a taxi home after a dinner for non-executive directors with the director general. Due to the scrutiny of the BBC’s spending on cabs, a number of reasons were given by claimants for their use. BBC Future Media executive creative director Colin Burns had to spend £50 on a taxi as there was “not enough time to take a train” on 30 August. He also spent £44.55 on “nine BBC T-shirts” in November and £74 on a “lost power adaptor”. A BBC spokesperson said: “There are essential costs incurred in the running of a major broadcasting organisation which will always fluctuate but we aim to drive down costs wherever possible and spend on expenses has dropped by 15% since the same period last year.” | |
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http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/j ... s-cupcakes
Okay, those were some expensive cupcakes that are obviously being used here as a headline grabber, but can that sort of expenses claim be justified do we think?
I certainly wouldn't and couldn't put anything like that through my workplace expenses, never mind a publicly-funded corporation. If there's grub of any description going about it's self-funded!