University accused of a ‘cover-up’ over leader’s salary award
Peer calls for Bath vice-chancellor on £451,000 a year to step down
THE highest-paid vice-chancellor in the country has been accused of presiding over a “cover-up” to prevent further details about her vast salary emerging.
Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, who was paid £451,000 last year for her role as vice-chancellor at Bath University, is understood to have voted down a motion about the lack of transparency of the institution’s Remuneration Committee, which decides on her pay packet.
The claims are being examined by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) as part of an investigation into “governance practice in relation to the remuneration of senior staff ” at Bath University.
Joe Rayment, a Labour councillor and former Bath University employee, wrote to Hefce to inform them about a meeting of Bath University Court which took place in February.
In his letter, seen by The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Rayment explained that he had raised a motion to express concern at the decisions made by, and the lack of transparency of, the Remuneration Committee.
“The motion was lost by a margin of 33-30,” he said. “Among those 33 voting against were: the vice-chancellor, at least five others whose pay is set by the committee, and two other members of the committee.”
He said the outcome of the vote was “questionable” since there were “at least eight people who should have declared an interest, but didn’t”.
Lord Adonis, a Labour peer and former education minister, whose complaints had originally prompted the Hefce investigation into Bath University, said the events at the February court were “disgraceful” and called on the vice-chancellor to resign.
“The position of the vicechancellor is no longer tenable and she should stand down for the good of Bath University,” he said.
Mr Rayment told The Sunday Telegraph that the votes from the vice-chancellor and others on this motion amounted to a “cover-up”.
“The executive is no longer held to account by the governance, which acts as a fortress to block any accountability,” he said.
Earlier this month, a Tory former minister quit his role at Bath University in protest over the “eye-watering” pay of its vice-chancellor.
Andrew Murrison, MP for South West Wiltshire, resigned his position at Bath University Court, saying that salaries for university bosses “are looking increasingly like a self-serving cartel”.This week three Labour MPs followed his lead and quit their positions at the university.
The row comes after a series of freedom of information requests revealed that almost two thirds of vicechancellors sit on the committee that set their pay. Lord Adonis said: “There are insufficient checks and balances of the university which has resulted in a deplorable lack of accountability and judgment on the part of the university’s governing council.”
Dame Glynis was not available for comment.