Fury over college boss's £200k pay off

Barnet and Southgate College is under fire for refusing to explain why the former principal of Barnet College, Marilyn Hawkins, was paid a total of £203,000 in severance and related payments following the merger with Southgate College in November 2011.

The huge pay off only came to light after UCU submitted a Freedom of Information request. The college has so far failed to honour a nationally-agreed pay rise for staff of just 0.7% - a total of £173,000 and less than Hawkins's pay off.

The college's chair of governors has ignored repeated written requests for an explanation of the senior management pay offs following the merger.  Marilyn Hawkins's pay off amounted to 144% of her final annual salary of £141,000. Hawkins received just under half of the £409,000 pay off pot shared by six departing senior managers.  

The union said it is not convinced the pay offs were an appropriate use of public money and is referring the matter to the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office.

UCU London regional official, Chris Powell, said: 'While former bosses share thousands of pounds, staff are denied a measly pay rise that won't even cover the increase in their pension contributions. Staff pay at the college has fallen by 20% in real-terms in recent years, despite workloads rocketing. We do not believe spending over £400,000 to pay six people off is a good use of taxpayers' money.

'UCU members at the college are deeply angered by the double standards demonstrated by the college and its failure to respond to their valid concerns. We are not convinced this is an appropriate use of public money and we are referring the matter to the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office.'