Anger over Pebble Mill move
Members at BBC Birmingham have reacted strongly against plans to leave Pebble Mill.
The plan, announced today Wednesday December 13, involves the transfer of 600 staff to premises in Mailbox, a new Central Birmingham property development.
Although management have indicated that there will be no redundancies, the union has criticised the announcement, which came only two months after a decision was made to close the two TV studios in the Pebble Mill building.
At the time, union representatives accused the BBC of closing Pebble Mill by stealth, and a campaign was mounted among local politicians to save the jobs of 90 staff threatened with redundancy.
Many of the affected staff have now been served with notice of dismissal - cuts which were justified, according to management by the significant savings that would be made by closing the under-utilised studios.
However, BECTU has been able to establish that Pebble Mill's move to the new Mailbox development will increase the BBC's rent payments from a peppercorn £1000 a year, to nearly £2 million a year - an increase of 200,000%.
On top of the hike in rent, the Mailbox move will also leave behind at Pebble Mill more than £3 million-worth of recently-installed widescreen digital studio equipment.
Management admitted when the studio closure was announced that a move out of Pebble Mill was being considered, but said that the costs of moving were comparable to the cost of staying, and the decision would therefore not be made on financial grounds.
One of the factors which was expected to tip the balance was public accessibility of any new building, which, says BECTU, ought to have ruled out Mailbox, a site which will be have to be just as secure as Pebble Mill, with the further disadvantage that it is unknown by most West Midlands residents. Pebble Mill has enjoyed nearly 30 years of public affection in the area as a BBC flagship.
Details of the planned move have not yet been discussed between union and management, but it is already clear that the new premises will include a regional TV news studio, and radio facilities including a drama studio for the Archers.
The move is expected to be phased over five years, with most staff being transferred in the first 12-18 months. BECTU expects to meet the BBC to discuss the proposals within the next few weeks.