BBC Trust executives cut expenses bill by more than 20%

The members of the BBC Trust have embraced the age of austerity at the corporation by slashing their expenditure on entertaining, travel and accommodation by more than 20% to just over £60,000. The 13 executives listed in the BBC Trust's expenses report for the six months to the end of March ran up claims totalling £62,099. The BBC Trust said the bill was 22% down year on year. The biggest claim of £16,043 came from the BBC chairman, Sir Michael Lyons. He also has a car and driver, which totalled £14,000 for the six-month period. Lyons showed a penchant, though hardly excessive, for entertaining contacts at London restaurants The Woleseley, Claridge's and Villandry to the tune of £533. Anthony Fry was the most frugal of the trustees, running up just £531 in claims for the period. Claims of interest included Jeremy Peat, who had the second highest expenses claim overall of £10,819 and who lunched at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society restaurant for £80.60, and Chitra Bharucha, who claimed seven months of Sky TV subscription for £175. In total, the BBC trustees spent £20,431 on accommodation, almost £12,000 on cars, more than £9,000 on flights and more than £14,000 on rail travel. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".