Money awarded to Mark Haysom, chief executive of Learning and Skills Council, was on top of 拢223,000 salary and 拢100,000 pay-off

The chief executive of the Learning Skills Council walked away with a 拢36,000 bonus last year, despite presiding over the disastrous college building programme.

The LSC鈥檚 accounts for 2008-9, published today, show that Mark Haysom, the chief executive, took home the payment when he resigned over the building fiasco in April. It comes on top of his 拢223,000 annual salary and a pay-off of more than 拢100,000.

The bonus payment relates to performance during the previous year (2007-8), and notes in the accounts say that no further bonus would be paid for Haysom鈥檚 final year. However, the payment means that Haysom received more than 拢360,000 during the year that the college programme was halted, after it was revealed it had exceeded its 拢2.3bn budget by more than 150%.

Haysom was replaced as chief executive by Geoffrey Russell when the extent of the LSC鈥檚 mismanagement of the programme became clear in March. A review led by Andrew Foster found that the LSC had 鈥渃ompromised a good policy by the manner of its implementation.鈥� 144 schemes were placed on hold, and only a handful have since been given the go-ahead.

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