CALLS have been made to freeze the pay of Bournemouth University’s (BU) vice-chancellor after it was revealed his salary has soared by over a half in five years.

Last year, Professor John Vinney received a 20 per cent pay rise, taking his salary to £305,000 - while his staff received one per cent.

Figures released by Times Higher Education recently showed Prof Vinney’s remuneration deal has increased by 53% between 2010-11 and 2015-16.

He earns 6.7 times the average salary at the university, which has four other staff paid more than £100,000.

Crispin Farbrother, a senior lecturer at BU and branch chair of the University and College Union (UCU), has written to Professor Richard Conder, chair of the Board of Governors, regarding the issue.

The letter, which has been seen by the Daily Echo, states that the impact of the vice-chancellor’s salary increases has brought the university “into disrepute” and caused a decline in staff and student morale.

It then goes on to recommend a freeze on vice-chancellor and senior pay levels, with a full review of current remuneration packages, as well as an acceleration of more progressive pay and reward policies across the workforce.

It also calls for an “immediate and radical opening up of the remuneration committee” by the 2018/19 financial year.

“UCU members at Bournemouth share the anger felt by students and their parents at the massive and unjustified increases to the pay of the vice-chancellor and his senior management team,” Mr Farbrother said.

“These pay rises are bringing Bournemouth University into disrepute; they are damaging staff and student morale, and they are raising concerns about the governance of the university.

“The board has ultimate responsibility for vice-chancellor pay, and we urge them to act on the proposals I have put forward on behalf of our members.”

Among other proposals, the UCU has also suggested the Board consider cutting the pay and pensions package for the vice-chancellor and senior management to pre-2012 levels and publishing the minutes of the university’s remuneration committee in full.

It is also urging for more engagement with students, staff and alumni in decisions over top pay and placing externally outsourced employees on the same terms and conditions as directly employed staff.

The average salary for a vice-chancellor was £277,834, the UCU found.

The vice-chancellors of Bournemouth’s two universities are the best-paid public servants locally.

A spokesperson for Bournemouth University said: "We are aware of a letter from the Chair of the Bournemouth University branch of UCU and will respond in due course."