BBC HR exec quits over move north

The head of HR at BBC North who was hired to sell the case to 1,500 staff about relocating from London to Manchester has quit his job because he did not wish to live there himself.
 

Paul Gaskin took on his £190,000 a year post with the broadcaster less than two months ago after leaving outsourcing firm Serco. He was responsible for 'the overall HR direction and leadership to meet the medium- to long-term strategic objectives for BBC North'. Other tasks included 'training and development, recruitment, reward, diversity, employment, policy and organisation design'.
 
According to the Mail on Sunday, his departure astonished colleagues who said he left without explanation and that he had been contractually obliged to make the 200-mile move to BBC North's new Salford Quays-based headquarters.
 
He told the newspaper: "I did not want to move to Manchester and so decided to leave. It's as simple as that." Gaskin, who is married with children and lives in Stevenage, left the BBC at the end of July and has been replaced by Ken Lee.
 
The new 'Media City' headquarters in Salford Quays is scheduled to house the BBC's children's department, Radio 5 Live, parts of the BBC's new media wing and BBC Breakfast among others. But Richard Deverell, chief operating officer for the new base, is also reportedly undecided as to whether to make the move.
 
Gaskin’s decision to leave rather than relocate will be a blow to the BBC’s ambitions of reflecting diversity in the UK more effectively. One source told the Mail: “There are real worries the BBC move north is facing problems. It doesn’t make sense for him to quit such a big job in the middle of such a prestigious project.”
 
He was one of three recruits whose appointments caused controversy because their pay packets were higher than the Prime Minister David Cameron’s at £142,500 per annum. Despite the fact that the BBC is independent of government, critics accused it of making a mockery of public sector spending at a time of proposed swingeing budget cuts.