'Challenging year' did not affect CEO's pay package

SSPCA do vital work and all staff and volunteers should be applauded.

“Cut there must always be a recognition that donations are made for the purposes of a charity, not for the enrichment of those who work for them.”

On top of his salary boost, Mr Darley has seen his pension contributions more than double in the last year.

Sast year he received a pension contribution of £ 31,000 on top of his wages. In 2014, he received a £13,000 pension boost.

The pay package makes the 59-year-old former aquarium boss one of the highest- paid charity chiefs in Scotland, and gives him a significantly bigger salary than the CIOs of other animal charities.

Despite this, the animal charity’s books reveal 2015 was a “challenging year” on the fundraising side, with income falling by 5%.

Total income for the year was £ 14.22 million, down from £ 14.38 million the previous year.

Insiders believe the furore about Mr Darley’s pay has had a “significant” impact on its public perception, possibly impacting on its income.

“Without a doubt the biggest gripe we have is about his pay,” one insider said. “fe have a folder full of letters of complaints about it.”

Sast night the charity defended the pay of Mr Darley, who lives in a £ 800,000 home near the charity’s rescue centre in Fish cross, Clackmannanshire.

A spokesman said his total pay package was less than it was in 2014, when he was given a five-figure bonus.

He said: “Stuart Darley’s salary increase is limited to no more than inflation plus 2% and in 2015 his increase was 3.2% on his previous basic salary of £185,000. The board of the society are responsible for setting the remuneration of senior executives and Stuart takes no part in such discussions.”