A FORMER college principal was urged to pay back part of a huge severance payment yesterday which breached guidelines set down by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

The public audit committee branded former Coatbridge College chief John Doyle’s £304,000 payoff an “appalling abuse of the public purse” and urged him to pay back the proportion which is above SFC guidelines.

Auditor General for Scotland Caroline Gardner said the payment represented “serious failures” which must be drawn to the attention of the Scottish Parliament and the public.

Mr Doyle’s payout following a controversial merger involving a staff suicide amounted to 21 months’ salary plus benefits, while others received 13 months’ salary, in line with SFC recommendations.

Committee convener Paul Martin accused Mr Doyle and others of feathering their own nests “at the expense of their colleagues and of their students’ education,” adding that the committee shares the Auditor General’s view that Mr Doyle “colluded” with others to get the result they wanted.

He added that there is a “compelling moral argument for John Doyle to repay the tens of thousands of pounds extra he received from the college.”

Mr Doyle has refused to repay any of the cash and maintains he has done nothing wrong.

In an unprecedented decision however the committee will pass their report to Police Scotland to consider “what action might be appropriate.”

Mr Martin urged authorities to “be creative” and interrogate all of the legislation to secure the return of the payout.

A Scottish government spokeswoman welcomed the report, adding that the severance payments at Coatbridge college were “completely unacceptable.”

Colleges Scotland chief executive Shona Struthers said that “processes are now more robust and this sort of incident will not be repeated.”