Newly-appointed principal and chief executive of South Lanarkshire College, Stella McManus, was among bosses who collectively wrote a whistle-blowing letter on the eve of her predecessor’s suspension, warning of “serious concerns” and highlighting possible “considerable financial and reputational risks” to the institution.
Ms McManus, who has held the position of deputy principal and director of curriculum at South Lanarkshire College (SLC) for two years and five months and has worked at senior level across a number of colleges in England, took the helm earlier this week.
She assumes responsibility for 5000 students and 300 staff in the role, which comes with a £110,000 salary.
Her appointment follows the sacking in January of principal Aileen McKechnie and interim clerk to the board, Brian Keegan, for “gross misconduct.”
The pair, who it’s understood were not given the right to appeal, had been suspended on full pay for more than a year amid a probe into “various complaints.”
Lanarkshire Live has previously reported that on November 23, 2021 – the day before McKechnie and Keegan were dramatically suspended – a letter was sent to Scottish Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville from seven SLC senior executives.
Penned collectively by deputy principal Ms McManus, the associate principals of the East Kilbride college’s three faculties, and heads of student services, finance and human resources, the letter claimed that “due process” had not been followed while Ms McKechnie was under threat of suspension.
The letter, which was leaked to Lanarkshire Live, warned that working conditions were “impacting the health and wellbeing” of senior staff and were having “a significant, visible impact on our principal and chief executive [Ms McKechnie], and the senior leadership team.”
Calling for “swift and appropriate” action to address their concerns, the document stated: “In our collective opinion, based on decades of experience in the education sector, there are now unprecedented risks to the college’s reputation, financial sustainability and good governance.”
Ms McManus and fellow authors cited the decision to stop senior staff’s attendance at some committee meetings, and the exclusion from board meetings of the principal, along with staff and student board members, as “clear breaches of the code of good governance.”
Saying they believed the conduct to be in breach of SLC’s dignity at work policy, grievance and whistle-blowing procedures, the leadership team’s letter continued: “There is the increasing risk of significant negative impact on the reputation and standing of the college.
“Furthermore, there is a real risk that these challenging governance and relationship issues will cause unnecessary anxiety amongst the wider college community should they become common knowledge.”
It appears the tables have turned at the troubled college with last week’s announcement that Paul Hutchinson – chairperson of the board at the centre of the letter’s authors’ concerns – has appointed Stella McManus as principal and chief executive.
Saying it was clear that Ms McManus was “the best candidate to lead SLC in its next phase of development and growth,” Mr Hutchinson commented: “Our aim over the next few years is to continue to grow SLC in our community, to provide an outstanding learning environment for our students and to grow our engagement with stakeholders and I am confident that Stella will be an excellent leader in ensuring we achieve our strategic objectives and deliver excellence.”
The sackings of McKechnie and Keegan sparked a second vote of no confidence in the board from the SLC branch of trade union EIS-FELA, as well as calls from Central Scotland MSP Graham Simpson for the Scottish Government to intervene.
When Lanarkshire Live asked the college to comment on Ms McManus's involvement in the writing of the letter, and Mr Simpson's statement in the Scottish Parliament that Ms McKechnie and Mr Keegan had no right to appeal their dismissal, a spokesperson for South Lanarkshire College said: "The chairing member informed staff that the board followed legal advice on the disciplinary procedures used with regard to Ms McKechnie and Mr Keegan."
Do you have a view on this story? Email Niki.Tennant@reachplc.com
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