Almost 1 per cent of University of Manchester staff on salaries over £100,000

103 staff at the University of Manchester, a figure that stands at almost one per cent of its total employees, earn more than £100,000 a year—according to data obtained by the Taxpayers Alliance—at a time when cuts are being made across the institution.

The same results, obtained by Freedom of Information requests and analysis of annual accounts, showed that more than 7,500 staff at Higher Education institutions across the country have salaries exceeding this.

This came as part of the Alliance’s Public Sector Rich List, an extensive investigation into the incomes of worker at public institutions in the UK, from Town Halls to hospitals.

The revelations into the salaries of university staff members showed that Oxford University, UCL, and Imperial had the highest number of employees on post-£100,000 salaries, at 622, 500, and 432 respectively

11 staff at Oxford University earn more than £300,000. The highest-paid staff member on the entire list was an unnamed academic at Oxford, who earns £690,200. This, however, is only the highest of the universities that responded.

The highest paid named member of staff in the research was Neil Gorman, Vice-Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University—who earns almost £625,000.

The University of Manchester had the 23rd-highest number of staff paid above £100,000 in the country. All data provided by the university did not provide names along with the listed salaries, but positions were included, making it possible to work out the incomes of certain members at the top.

The Vice-Chancellor and President, Dame Nancy Rothwell, has a salary of £247,500 plus expenses of over £1,000. Colin Bailey, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, earns £162,500.

11 other staff members at Manchester earn over £150,000, meaning 90 staff earn between £100,000 and £150,000. In the university’s ‘Facts and Figures 2015’ booklet, they state that over 11,000 people work at the institution—meaning that 0.94 per cent of staff earn over £100,000.

This comes alongside ongoing disputes between campus trade unions and the university about job cuts. The university is in the process of outsourcing much of its IT services, a move that has led to the balloting for a strike by the University of Manchester branch of UCU.

It also follows on the heels of news that under the new Higher Education green paper, universities may be made exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, in 2013/14 there were 395,780 members of staff at UK HE institutions. This would mean that almost two per cent of all HE staff across the country earned over £100,000.

“Taxpayers will not begrudge an inspiring headteacher or world-class academic a good salary if they produce great results and motivate their students, but too often this is not what we find,” said Chief Exec of the Taxpayers Alliance, Jonathan Isaby.

“Where institutions fail but financial rewards continue to flow to those at the top regardless, there is clearly a serious problem and taxpayers have every right to be concerned. The pay and perks enjoyed by those working at our schools and universities—and indeed across the entire public sector—must more accurately reflect how well they are doing their jobs.”

The University of Glasgow has the highest number of staff earning over £100,000 in Scotland. Despite this, they still charged the Alliance £16.38 for the results.

A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “The university operates in a highly competitive international market and offers competitive remuneration packages in order to attract the best researchers, teachers and professionals.

“The salaries paid to senior staff are comparable to those paid at other Russell Group universities, although we have far fewer staff employed in these higher pay bands than many of our competitor institutions.

“The President and Vice-Chancellor’s pay is set by the Board of Governors’ remuneration committee each year. Professor Rothwell’s pay is less than the Russell Group average despite presiding over the UK’s largest single-site university.”

Full data on the staff at UK institutions earning over £150,000 can be read here, courtesy of the Taxpayers’ Alliance.