BBC admits to wasting £300k of licence fee payers’ cash on bookings NEVER used
BBC bosses have admitted to wasting almost £300,000 of licence fee payers’ cash on transport and accommodation bookings that were never used.
The Corporation says 3,699 train tickets, 599 hotel rooms and 1,209 taxi rides were cancelled over the last five years — and the broadcaster could not get a refund.
The aborted train trips cost £184,000, cancelled hotels added another £92,000 while abandoned taxis cost £18,000.
The BBC insists that it tries to keep cancelled bookings to a minimum. It also said the cost of flight tickets not used are automatically claimed back by its booking agent American Express.
Andrew Allison, boss of the Freedom Association, said: “The BBC is not alone in wasting money like this. However, when your income is generated through a mandatory live telly tax, every pound should be spent wisely.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “The nature of our work means plans can often change at short notice. We are always mindful of costs.”
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