Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted
BBC significantly behind audio expenditure relocation targets, with plans for recovery not yet finalised.
Conclusion
The BBC recognised that it was behind schedule with its plans to transfer audio expenditure outside London. By March 2023, the BBC spent 41% of its expenditure on network audio production outside London, an increase of just 1 percentage point compared with 40% in March 2020. Having transferred 1 percentage point of expenditure in 4 years, it needed to transfer a further 9 percentage points of spend in the next 5 years to reach its target expenditure of 50% by March 2028. The BBC said it was working through its plans for how it would get back on track with its planned transfer of audio expenditure and it did not expect to have these plans in place until early 2024–25.25 20 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.5, 2.11, 2.14, 2.18, Figure 6 21 Q 18; C&AG’s report, paras 2.5–2.6, 2.8 22 Qq 18, 70; C&AG’s report, para 2.6 23 Qq 18, 26, 45, 69, 73 24 Qq 69–70; C&AG’s report, paras 2.6, 2.8 3.5 25 Q 18, 26, 72–73; C&AG’s report, para 2.9 The BBC’s implementation of Across the UK 13
Government Response Summary
The BBC states that its Radio and Music business plan was approved in May 2024 and is on track to deliver its contribution to the programme, including achieving 50% of network spend outside of London.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
3.3 The BBC’s remaining Radio and Music business plan was approved in May 2024. The BBC is confident Radio and Music is now on-track to deliver its contribution to the programme financial benefits in full, including achieving 50% of network spend outside of London. The BBC has delivered 44% of network spend outside of London to date, and plans are on-track to complete the relocation of planned BBC Radio & Music editorial teams and programming by April 2025.