Former Coatbridge College leaders to face MSPs over cash handouts

Staff at the former Coatbridge College accused of colluding to give themselves generous severance payments have been called in front of MSPs.

The Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee today decided to call former Principal John Doyle and former Chair of the College John Gray to give evidence after Scotland’s Auditor General Caroline Gardner found £849,842 was paid to seven staff after colleges in Lanarkshire were merged.

Convener Paul Martin MSP said the Committee had been left with no choice but to launch an inquiry.

“The evidence we heard from the Auditor General about the serious governance weaknesses in voluntary severance arrangements at the former Coatbridge College suggested a deeply flawed decision-making process that benefited certain senior members of staff,” he said.