Arise, Sir Roly!

I'm not a fan of the UK's political honours system, as regular readers know - in my view the whole thing is a joke and wide open to abuse.

In addition, anyone who's desperate to be awarded a bauble from Her Madge the Queen - is the kind of person I can't abide normally - the kind of person who demands recognition simply for doing their job (which is normally very well paid) or just for being a 'good' person.

So my usual reaction to political honours is - pass the sick bag, please.

But today is an exception and I wish to nominate Roly Keating to become a knight of the realm - Sir Roly Keating, no less - and the freedom of every town and city in the land.

Why?

Because this unassuming chap who used to work for the BBC has shown the kind of leadership that is sadly lacking in most of our politicians.

In September 2012 the BBC awarded Roly Keating a 'termination payment' of £250,000 plus six months pay in lieu of notice (£125,000) - even though his post was not being made redundant.

Roly has since found a new job at the British Library which has a salary in the £140,000 to £145,000 bracket - but he has since decided to hand back the BBC money (i.e. licence payers' money) because Roly subsequently found out that his 'termination payment' had been severely criticised by the National Audit Office - the UK's public spending watchdog.

So Roly sent back a cheque to the BBC for £187,500 - the sum he received after tax - and here is what he said in his letter to the new BBC director general, Sir Tony Hall:

Dear Tony 
  
You will be aware that I received a payment from the BBC last year under the terms of a compromise agreement which ended my 29 years of employment at the Corporation. I entered into and signed this agreement in the belief that the BBC had proposed it in good faith and for good reasons, and that it had been properly sanctioned and authorised.

Earlier this year I wrote to the National Audit Office offering any assistance they might find useful from me in connection with their study for the BBC Trust of senior management severance payments and benefits. I met with the NAO last month to share what I understood about the facts in my case, and to review the relevant draft section of their report for factual accuracy.

This week I was concerned to receive from the NAO a significantly revised final draft of this section incorporating new evidence, of which I was not and could not have been aware, concerning the BBC's internal process for approval of the payment to me. This evidence has led the NAO to observe that the process in this case was "seriously deficient".

You will understand that as a matter of principle I would never wish to benefit from a payment that could not be demonstrated to have been fully and appropriately authorised. I therefore enclose with this letter a cheque payable to the BBC, amounting to the full sum I received as severance payment after tax was deducted by the BBC at source.

I have maintained confidentiality on this matter thus far, in accordance with the mutual confidentiality clause in the compromise agreement. However, since my case will be identifiable on publication of the NAO's report, I would wish the content of this letter to be made public at that point.

As ever

Roly

cc. Lord Patten of Barnes

So, I take my hat off to Roly Keating - and would have no problem with someone like that being given an honorary title of Sir Roly because he has behaved so much better than so many of his BBC contemporaries - who have taken their ill-gotten money and run.

Meanwhile, I'd like to know who authorised this ridiculous over the top payment and if they are still working at the BBC - I can't imagine it will be for very much longer.