BBC blowing £1m of taxpayers money on staff surveys

The BBC has announced plans to spend up to £1 million of taxpayers' money on staff surveys - only weeks after axing the free licence-fee for the over 75's.

The plans were shared on the BBC's sourcing website shortly before Tim Davie took over as the new director-general. The survey was described as a way to "deliver one of the key objectives of making the BBC an even greater place to work". 

Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices, criticised the BBC for spending so much money on staff surveys just after stripping over-75s of free licence fees.

The cost of the software needed for the surveys could pay for 6,300 licence fees at a cost of £157.50 each.

The money will be used on "staff surveys, exit surveys and regular pulse surveys".

A BBC spokesman said: "Like most large organisations we use staff surveys to gain valuable feedback on our performance and respond to the areas people are telling us we need to improve on."

The procurement document read: "The BBC is looking to purchase a staff survey and engagement software-based platform solution."