University pay under scrutiny

Vice-chancellors across the area are taking home more than Prime Minister David Cameron, with the University and College Union (UCU) describing senior academic pay awards as a 'murky world'.

It comes as students are paying £9,000-a-year in tuition fees.

The University of Wolverhampton's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Geoff Layer, is something of a trailblazer locally as he has taken a pay cut from £183,000 down to £180,000, although it was still more than the PM's salary of £142,500.

Last year Professor Ray Linforth, Vice-Chancellor of University College Birmingham, saw his pay shoot up by 20.3 per cent to £243,000 a year, while Professor David Eastwood at the University of Birmingham enjoyed a 7.5 per cent rise and a salary of £400,000, making him one of the highest paid vice chancellors in the country.

At Aston University, Professor Julia King had a 2.2 per cent rise, giving her a salary of £278,000. Staffordshire University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Gunn, saw his rise from £176,000 to £178,000, according to the union.

It can be revealed that from April last year, Birmingham City University's (BCU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Clive Allen's remuneration package was £207,563. He took home £138,017 in the previous academic year, having joined on December 1, 2012. The university said any changes in his pay were made against industry-wide benchmarks, and based on his performance.

UCU regional official, Anne O'Sullivan, said: "Millions of pounds of public money are spent on vice-chancellors' salaries, yet their pay rise is decided behind closed doors with no accountability.

"The time has come for the lid to be lifted on the murky world of remuneration committees and senior pay in our universities. We believe there is a strong and legitimate public interest to justify these growing six-figure salaries."

Institutions across the West Midlands have failed to publish the minutes of meetings of their remuneration committees, where they discuss pay rises, to the union.

Birmingham City University (BCU) was the exception to the rule in that it did send the union minutes, but they were redacted and would not contain details about his salary as standard.

Michael Elliott, chair of the Board of Governors at the University of Wolverhampton, said: "Professor Geoff Layer has been in post for more than two years and has demonstrated exceptional leadership and vision in that time. He leads a staff which works hard to ensure that the university is well placed for growth both in the UK and overseas."

A spokesman for Aston University said: "Professor King's increase is a reflection of a number of strong performing factors for the university."