Ex-Coatbridge College boss urged to give part of pay-off back
A former college principal who received a £304,000 pay-off has been urged to give some of the cash back as a Holyrood committee branded the deal an appalling abuse of the public purse''.
The Public Audit Committee has called for former Coatbridge College chief John Doyle to return the proportion of his severance deal which was above guidelines applied to the college sector.
Committee convener Paul Martin also said MSPs will pass a copy of their report to Police Scotland so officers can consider what action might be appropriate''.
The payment was made after a turbulent merger process which saw Coatbridge College become part of New College Lanarkshire.
While Mr Doyle's payout after his departure in November 2013 amounted to 21 months' salary, plus additional benefits, others received 13 months' salary - in line with Scottish Funding Council (SFC) guidelines.
Mr Martin said Mr Doyle's severance payment was engineered through a process of misinformation and disregard for existing guidelines and process''.
The committee has now recommended that the Scottish Government looks at the operation of the SFC and the effectiveness of its supervisory role.
Auditor General for Scotland Caroline Gardner welcomed the committee's finding that there had been significant failures of governance at Coatbridge College.
She said: I prepared my report on Coatbridge College's 2013/14 accounts because I believed that serious failures in the governance of severance arrangements needed to be drawn to the attention of Parliament and the public.
The Public Audit Committee's subsequent inquiry and findings demonstrate how robust audit work and parliamentary scrutiny can play an effective role in holding individuals and bodies to account for how they manage public money.''
During the committee investigation, Mr Doyle had insisted to MSPs there is no reason'' for him to pay money back. But Mr Martin said a number of those who gave evidence to the inquiry had beenunconvincing'', as he voiced his frustration that key information relevant to our inquiry was not provided earlier than it was''.
He said: There is a compelling moral argument for John Doyle to repay the tens of thousands of pounds extra he received from the college.
The Scottish Government provided more than #52 million between 2011/12 and 2013/14 to support the college merger process and most of that money was used to fund voluntary severance schemes.
It was not provided, however, to allow already highly-paid public servants to feather their own nests at the expense of their colleagues and of their students' education.
What we heard during our evidence sessions demonstrated clearly that the end result in relation to John Doyle's severance payment was engineered through a process of misinformation and disregard for existing guidelines and process.
We found smokescreens where we should have found spotlights, distractions when we wanted directness. Behind it all lies an appalling abuse of the public purse. There simply was no business case for the former principal to receive the level of severance payment he received.''
Police Scotland met with Audit Scotland before Christmas to discuss the Coatbridge College case.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: Officers have discussed the matter with Audit Scotland and it is under review.''
The committee unveiled its findings at the Scottish Parliament at the same time as Mr Doyle was served with a copy of the report.
Mr Martin said: We share the Audit General's view that the (Coatbridge College) chair John Gray and the principal colluded to get the result they wanted.
We believe there is compelling moral argument for John Gray to repay the tens of thousands of pounds that he received in public money.
Given the nature of the evidence we have received, we are presenting a copy of this report to Police Scotland to ensure that they can consider what action can be taken.
This is an unprecedented move for any committee of the Scottish Parliament.''
The committee was told repeatedly by several witnesses, including the Auditor General and Education Secretary Angela Constance, that they could find no legal mechanism to compel Mr Doyle to pay the money back.
Mr Doyle has steadfastly maintained he has done nothing wrong and that he will not pay the money back.
Mr Martin said: This is clearly a matter for Police Scotland to consider.
We don't make judgements on criminality, but I think the evidence that we have received and this unprecedented move should speak volumes for itself.''