THE head of the body that helps run Glasgow's college sector is in line for a pay hike of up to 50 per cent sparking anger from unions.

A job evaluation of the role of Robin Ashton, executive director of the Glasgow Colleges' Regional Board (GCRB), has suggested his salary should be increased from the current level of £80,000 to £120,000.

A report to the GCRB's remuneration committee also recommends that a new post of finance and resources director should be given a salary of £98,000.

The benchmarking exercise by international management consultancy the Hay Group comes at a time when college lecturing staff across Scotland have backed strike action in a long-running dispute over pay.

The colleges' board insisted no decision has yet been taken over what Mr Ashton's salary will be and no recommendation has been made.

However, representatives of public services union Unison and the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) warned any significant increase would provoke anger from staff.

John Gallacher, Unison's Scotland's recruitment organiser, described the suggested increase as "outrageous" and demanded transparency over pay rises for all senior staff.

He said: "Senior pay is out of kilter and the issue for us is that salaries for all staff in further education at whatever grade should be determined through a common job evaluation system that is open and transparent.

"Secretive benchmarking reports to a remuneration committee do not inspire confidence about getting it right when it comes to the salary level for the job."

Mr Gallacher said unions accepted the regional board needed senior people who could "punch their weight" at the same level as college principals such as Paul Little, from City of Glasgow College, who earns more than £150,000.

But he added: "It is concerning to see the creation of more very well paid senior jobs at a time of flat cash settlements for the sector."

John Kelly, for the EIS added: "I am extremely concerned that in an era of shedding lecturing staff and increasing demands being foisted on those remaining we have yet more layers of management being employed at high costs to the public purse."

However, Margaret Cook, chair of the GCRB, said no pay increases had been made and insisted members were committed to ensuring best value in the use of public funds and restraint in salary levels.

She said: "The board is currently considering a staff structure appropriate to its new statutory responsibilities which include direct accountability for over £80 million of public funding.

"As part of this process, a range of information is being sourced to inform the decision including job evaluation, comparative sector data and other relevant information.

"Once all of this information is available it will be considered by the GCRB board which includes staff and student representation."

The regional body was set up to help run the city's three colleges - City of Glasgow, Clyde and Glasgow Kelvin - following a series of mergers across Scotland.

The situation in Glasgow is unusual because the city has three colleges with their own principals and boards in addition to the over-arching regional body, whose funding comes from the overall college budget for the region.