Yes they will pay my travel and accommodation to speak and lead workshops at an event.
No it won’t be mrs_miggins guest house or The Tartan Wallpaper inn located in the small Highland settlement where the event is happening, as they are not on the centralised purchasing system.
Yes you will have to drive north, including through said settlement, carry on 30 miles to the nearest place with a corporately acceptable accommodation system, then get up in the morning to drive 30 miles back again.
No sir, you cannot only stay one night, as we have deemed it too far to travel after a days work, so if you want one night/days work, you must stay another night in the corporate abode. And that 30 miles back the way. Teh Rulz…(all at 50p a mile)
🙄

No sir, you cannot only stay one night, as we have deemed it too far to travel after a days work, so if you want one night/days work, you must stay another night in the corporate abode.

Whilst it may be a ballache, I find it hard to challenge this – I’ve had too many experiences of being expected to drive to an event in my own time after doing a full day, an early start and then drive back in my own time afterwards, to think it should be allowed.

Or flog the extra unwanted night in the hotel on ebay, if you can’t do a cash deal with the receptionist.

As their sub contractor they retain a responsibility for your H&S and Driving to and from an event falls within that remit. You can elect not to take the 2nd night but you won’t have recourse against them.

Fair point on the second night.

It does gall that in a rural nation, a government cannot buy services from thier rural communities easily, and in doing so puts money in the pockets of shareholders and costs more money.
I liked wee jock mc tartans pub last time I stayed…

I’ve never understood the way many companies/universities/councils etc have special exclusive deals that mean you have to pay over the odds for everything and can’t shop around. Makes no sense to me at all.

Backhanders

Backhanders

Or more likely incompetence, they are just unable to police expenditure properly so create a more expensive system to do it for them.

I suspect this is more to do with the sub contractor status rather than blanket T&S rules per se.
The use of government procurement cards means that most of the quango staff I work with make their own arrangements – it’s better for everyone if the establishments used take credit cards though.

Or more likely incompetence,

Exactly. That’s why my recent flights were more than I could have bought them for on the open market, despite being booked well in advance, or my a block booking of 30 people in a Travelodge/Premier Inn type thing (agin, booked well in advance) was at retail and not discounted.

I’ve never understood the way many companies/universities/councils etc have special exclusive deals that mean you have to pay over the odds for everything and can’t shop around. Makes no sense to me at all.

Due to the supplier having to jump through hoops etc, means only the ‘big-boys’ bother apply as it costs.