Anger over city college’s pay delay

Staff at the college were sent a message apologising to them for the delay which has been blamed on the bank holiday weekend.

The college, which has more than 1,500 staff, said the problem had been caused by a “software processing error.”

Staff were all paid last week but John Giddins, the University and College Union’s branch organiser for Yorkshire has demanded an explanation from college bosses.

He said: “All staff at the college were sent an email apologising for the not being paid on time.

“First of all I find it incredible that one of the biggest further education colleges in the country cannot manage to pay its staff on time.

“Secondly it is also astounding that this is being blamed on people being paid over a bank holiday.

“This must have happened in the past and even if pay day hasn’t fallen on a bank holiday before it is in the calendar so surely it could have been planned for.

“What has happened this time? This is very unsettling for college staff and it will have caused problems for people because they will have direct debit payments to make which will depend on their salary being paid on time.”

The message from Leeds City College invited its staff to raise any concerns with a member of payroll. It also told employees that if any member of staff had |”incurred banking charges” as a result of the delay in them being paid they should also contact the college.

The message adds: “The college will make recompense upon proof of the charges.”

However Mr Giddins said: “It is all very well the college telling its staff that they will compensate people for any bank charges as a result of this but at the end of the day this is all public money, taxpayers money and we need to know why this has happened in the first place.”

A city college spokeswoman said: “There was a delay of salary payments to staff earlier this week, which unfortunately occurred through a software processing error over the bank holiday period.

“The issue was resolved as quickly as possible so that all employees were paid the next day.

“The college has apologised for the inconvenience this caused some members of staff and is now working to recompense anyone who incurred bank charges as a result.”

Leeds City College operates out of six main campuses across Leeds as well as in Keighley.

The Leeds sites are Horsforth, Joseph Priestley, Park Lane, Technology and the Printworks site.