Pairing up

Still no sign of structural pay and grading reform at the BBC. Perhaps they need some help from David Cameron's mates.  Like Sir Terry Leahy, Chairman of Tesco - one of those rumoured to be penning an application for leading the BBC Trust.

Despite Terry's salary (estimated at £1.3m), Tesco has only five pay bands between the lowest manager and board level. And custom and practice is very different from the BBC.  At a recent regional meeting of store managers (salaries 60k to 120k plus earned bonuses) they were billeted two to a room (like football players, not couples) at a Premier Inn.  Tesco has only five bands between the lowest manager and the Board.

The BBC has recently been running some senior managers through old-style "awaydays" at much higher-graded establishments in the Home Counties, with one per room, dinner, bed and breakfast, and guest speakers. Apparently they're designed to establish "future leaders". Under Terry, they may need fewer rooms on a range of counts.....