Swinney steps in to halt rise
AN “outrageous” 17% pay increase for a Scottish college official will no longer go ahead after an intervention from education secretary John Swinney.
MSPs criticised the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) last week for failing to prevent the rise agreed by Glasgow Colleges’ Regional Board.
The move would have seen the salary of the board’s executive director Robin Ashton increase from £81,000 to £95,000.
Holyrood’s public audit committee heard that SFC interim chief executive Dr John Kemp had decided not to use his power to step in over the decision.
But in a letter to the committee, Mr Swinney has now confirmed the rise will not go ahead.