Weston College being run as 'personal fiefdom'

UCU said the crisis means there are serious questions for the board of governors to answer. 

FE Week reports the college has withdrawn its offer to appoint current Cornwall College deputy principal Kate Wills as Sir Paul's replacement, which itself came after two previous rounds of recruitment.  

The college's board of governors have allowed Sir Paul to stay on as a paid 'president' of the college after his 'retirement' at the end of this term. Despite staying on, his leaving festivities include a recreation of a Love Actually style montage and staff singing a version of Tina Turner's Simply The Best. Staff have also been asked to donate to his holiday fund. 

Sir Paul Phillip is the highest-paid principal in England and received a 16% uplift to his basic pay last year, whereas his employees, some of whom have to use food banks, received just 3%. 

Sir Paul's son has just been promoted from vice-principal for finance to deputy principal and chief operating officer. 

University and College Union regional official Nick Varney said: 'After repeated rounds of recruitment staff were delighted to hear that Weston College had finally appointed a new principal, so it is very worrying that the college is attempting to retract its offer. Sir Paul's demand to be named honorary president is clearly creating a crisis at the college. No one is sure who is actually in charge and the person appointed as principal has had her career thrown into disarray. There are now serious questions for the board of governors to answer.'  

'Sir Paul's last pay increase was bigger than the whole salary of most lecturers at Weston College, but that is not enough for him, with staff being asked to serenade him and donate to his holiday. If Weston College is now in the business of giving out honorary paid positions, they should go to the staff who do the work of teaching and supporting students, not fat cat bosses. 

'It will raise eyebrows that Sir Paul's son is in charge of the college's purse strings. Dynastic appointments are a relic of the medieval past and have no place in a modern, forward-looking college. 

'Weston College looks like it is being run as Sir Paul's personal fiefdom and it shows that further education's governance model is not fit for purpose. We need a new model that works for staff and works for students.'