College Principal Faces Criticism Over Pay Rise Amidst Closure

Tue, 03 Nov 2009

The principal of a college in Ashford has been criticised for allegedly giving himself a pay rise of £20,000 last year and for failing to keep his staff informed about the colleges plight. Colin Staff is principal of Brooklands College, and he last month revealed to staff that the college would be closing its Ashford site and scrapping A-levels at the Weybridge campus due to financial problems .

Staff claim he failed to attend a subsequent meeting with teachers, and failed to keep staff or students informed in the months and weeks prior to the announcement. Mr Staff has been branded ‘arrogant and obsence’ by support staff union UNISON, and is also facing allegations that he raised his salary to £140,000 in the 2007/08 financial year.

The colleges impending closure follows the withdrawal of the Learning and Skills Council from funding the site’s redevelopment – after the college had spent £11 million on planning and ground works. Ashford councillor and Spelthorne leader John Packman defended Mr Staff, claiming he had ‘worked his socks’ off and done everything he could have done to save the 1,100 pupil campus.
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