Ariel reports here that staff numbers have been reduced.

"A BBC spokesperson said savings were being made through simplifying the corporation's structure, technology developments, closer inter-departmental working and streamlining as well as headcount reductions."  

"as well as headcount reductions" covers everything, really.

"Around 1230 people were made redundant in 2011, compared to 444 in the previous year."  

Admin.

Sounds to me like a bit of "green cheese" coming to the surface.

If any of the redundant staff were entitled to redundancy pay and were of an age to be eligible to take their pension, then why shouldn't they? It's an entitlement as part of the BBC Conditions of Service.

The BBC has admitted it no longer staffs for the peaks of production, rather for the troughs. If redundant staff have the skills which the BBC requires and have been away for the required time, then why shouldn't they accept "freelance" or casual work?

I worked for over 37 years and had planned to keep going until I had completed 40 years service. But when redundancies were required, I was prepared to volunteer so that those of my colleagues who needed their jobs could remain in work, and the redundancy pay and the pension made it financially beneficial for me to go. Should I have turned the opportunity down?