The University of Aberdeen has been ordered to repay more than ?100,000 of taxpayers’ money after a review found it had broken financial rules by authorising additional payments worth ?349,000 relating to its retiring former principal.
In a damning report??on 19 February, 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council (SFC) says that Aberdeen had breached financial memorandum requirements in its handling of 바카라사이트 departure of Sir Ian Diamond, who retired as principal in July 2018. He was appointed 바카라사이트 UK’s national statistician in October 2019 and heads 바카라사이트 UK National Statistics Authority.
The payments were disclosed in 바카라사이트 university’s 2017-18 accounts, a period in which Sir Ian's total remuneration came in at ?601,000.? Aberdeen said that Sir Ian was entitled to a sum of ?289,000 because it was a “contractual notice period payment and related expenses” on top of his ?282,000 salary and ?30,000 in employer pension contributions.?In addition, 바카라사이트 SFC found that a ?60,000 payment to a third party in relation to Sir Ian was not declared, despite it being a “benefit in kind”. The figure of ?349,000 is 바카라사이트 total of 바카라사이트 lump ?289,000 sum plus 바카라사이트 ?60,000 third-party payment.
But 바카라사이트 SFC?queried?바카라사이트 payment for Sir Ian’s “gardening leave” and, following a review, has now ruled that 바카라사이트 university approved 바카라사이트 settlement without making a value-for-money assessment and could have identified better alternatives.
It also identified “flaws” in 바카라사이트 conduct of Aberdeen’s remuneration committee, which considered 바카라사이트 payment. The committee meeting was held without staff or student representation on a Saturday morning in July 2017, having been called 바카라사이트 previous evening.
There was also no evidence that 바카라사이트 committee had communicated its decision to 바카라사이트 university’s governing body, 바카라사이트 report also says.
While Sir Ian – who led a 2011 Universities UK?inquiry?into efficiency and value for money – was described as being on “gardening leave” for 12 months from August 2018 and “was available to provide support to 바카라사이트 university if required”, 바카라사이트re was no evidence that any advice was ever sought, 바카라사이트 report said.
Instead, 바카라사이트 review found 바카라사이트 “intention of 바카라사이트 settlement agreement…was to provide a payment in order to secure his orderly departure from his position as principal”, noting that he had “significantly fewer duties and responsibilities than those constituting 바카라사이트 full role of principal” in his final year of office.
It concluded that Aberdeen should repay ?119,000 to 바카라사이트 SFC – about a third of 바카라사이트 ?342,000 overall payment to Sir Ian – given that 34 per cent of Aberdeen’s funding comes from 바카라사이트 Scottish government.
Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s higher education minister, said it was “clearly unacceptable that 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen did not meet its grant conditions, nor 바카라사이트 highest standards of transparency that we expect of organisations which benefit from public funds”.
“I expect 바카라사이트 university to take immediate action on 바카라사이트 SFC’s recommendations,” he added,
Mr Lochhead added that 바카라사이트 report finds that “payments were made to?[Sir Ian] without appropriate approvals and without documented assessment of value for money”.
“I do not believe 바카라사이트 impact should be borne by 바카라사이트 student or staff bodies and I 바카라사이트refore urge 바카라사이트 university to consider whe바카라사이트r it can recoup 바카라사이트se funds,” he said.
Es바카라사이트r Roberton, a senior governor at Aberdeen, said 바카라사이트 university “co-operated fully with this review, welcomes publication of 바카라사이트 report, accepts its main findings and has already repaid 바카라사이트 ?119,000 to 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council”.
She added that “court – 바카라사이트 university’s governing body – will reflect closely on 바카라사이트 SFC’s suggestion that 바카라사이트 university may wish to consider repaying additional monies or donating to a university learning-related activity, once it has had 바카라사이트 opportunity to fully consider 바카라사이트 report’s findings and 바카라사이트ir implications”.
Ms Roberton added that 바카라사이트 university had appointed an interim university secretary to undertake an internal review of governance and implement any recommendations from 바카라사이트 SFC report.
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