FIVE Live Controller Won't Move (Article)

Lenny Lovett

From The Guardian:

Five Live controller joins list of BBC bosses who will not be relocating north

The list of top BBC executives who are refusing to relocate from London to the north-west, while expecting their staff to go, lengthened when the BBC confirmed that Adrian Van Klaveren, controller of Radio Five Live, would not be moving north with his family, and had given no commitment to do so.
In a statement the corporation said he would rent a flat for two years, which under the BBC's relocation policy is paid for by licence fee payers — because he did not wish to disrupt his children's education, which is at a critical stage. Once the two-year period is over, he will "review the situation and make arrangements at his own cost", a spokesman said.
This week MediaGuardian.co.uk revealed that Peter Salmon, director of BBC North and a member of the BBC executive board, who has been a forthright evangelist for the move and made much of his Burnley, Lancashire roots, does not intend to move with his family to the area for the foreseeable future.
His wife, former Coronation Street actress Sarah Lancashire has told friends she is staying put at the couple's Twickenham home.
Independent producers, who did not wished to be named, have told MediaGuardian.co.uk that they are fed up with being forced to travel to BBC regional and national centres outside London, to meet with BBC commissioners who have also travelled there from London for the same meeting, running up large train fares.
BBC staff are becoming infuriated as they feel forced to move to hold onto their job, including those at the BBC Breakfast programme.
They were expecting to move into the BBC's central London newsroom, but were abruptly told last week they have six months to decide whether to go.
The BBC also confirmed yesterday that the architect and strategist of the out of London policy, Richard Deverell "still hasn't made a decision" on whether he will relocate from Surrey with his wife and children.
Deverell, currently on holiday, is the chief operating officer of BBC North, effectively Peter Salmon's deputy and credited as the brains of the scheme. It seems that even the executives who in public promote the move, take a different view when it personally affects them.
BBC insiders said one reason for the reluctance, beside family, is that power, decision-making and commissioning remain firmly centred in London, and so ambitious executives prefer to stay put. BBC executives also seem prepared to accept the explanation from people who have previously decided to move, that their circumstances have changed.