Shane Allen, comedy commissioning controller, made expenses claim to thank staff for working on two programmes
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 (cupcakes!) 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.”