Our Remuneration Committee, under delegated authority from Council, determines the remuneration of our senior officers. An update from each meeting is presented to Council by the Committee Chair.
Read the current Remuneration Committee Terms of Reference and current membership.
Remuneration Committee meetings for academic year 2024/25
Meeting attendance
22 October 2024
In attendance were:
- Alun Griffiths, Chair
- Pamela Chesters, Chair of Council
- Tim Ford, lay member
- Jimena Alamo, SU President
- Professor Paul Shepherd, Member of Council
- Richard Brooks, Director of HR
- Andrew Browning, Head of Governance
Lauren Howells (Governance Manager) did not attend the meeting. Benjamin Orford Thompson (SU President) and Ian Blenkharn (University Secretary) were not required at this meeting.
12 December 2024
In attendance were:
- Alun Griffiths, Chair
- Pamela Chesters, Chair of Council
- Jimena Alamo, SU President (to 11.30am)
- Professor Paul Shepherd, Member of Council
- Richard Brooks, Director of HR
- Lauren Howells, Governance Manager
Tim Ford (lay member) and Andrew Browning (Head of Governance) did not attend the meeting. Benjamin Orford Thompson (SU President) and Ian Blenkharn (University Secretary) were not required at this meeting.
11 March 2025
In attendance were:
- Alun Griffiths, Chair
- Pamela Chesters, Chair of Council
- Jimena Alamo, SU President (to 11.30am)
- Professor Paul Shepherd, Member of Council
- Richard Brooks, Director of HR
- Lauren Howells, Governance Manager
- Ian Blenkharn, University Secretary
Tim Ford (lay member) did not attend the meeting. Benjamin Orford Thompson (SU President) and Andrew Browning (Head of Governance) were not required at this meeting.
30 June 2025
In attendance were:
- Alun Griffiths, Chair
- Pamela Chesters, Chair of Council
- Tim Ford, lay member
- Benjamin Orford Thompson, SU President
- Professor Paul Shepherd, Member of Council
- Richard Brooks, Director of HR
- Lauren Howells, Governance Manager
- Ian Blenkharn, University Secretary
Jimena Alamo (SU President) and Andrew Browning (Head of Governance) were not required at the meeting.
Approach to remuneration
The overall goal of our approach to senior staff remuneration is to offer levels appropriate to attract, retain and motivate senior staff who have the appropriate skills and qualifications to lead delivery of our mission and strategic objectives. We recognise that our status as a public body is a fundamental part of the decisions regarding pay for all employees, particularly senior staff. Students and staff are important stakeholders in the University and we recognise that the reputation of the University as an education provider, and as an employer, can be influenced by perceptions of value for money and the way in which senior remuneration is set and governed. Read the senior staff remuneration framework.
We offer remuneration packages appropriate to a leading University, benchmarked against other UK HE institutions of comparable scale, status and complexity operating in a competitive market.
All decisions regarding the remuneration associated with specific roles are taken, with external advice when required, in accordance with our commitment to equality and diversity; financial position and value for money; the nature of the role; reward levels for other members of our community; guidance issued by the Office for Students (OfS) and Committee of University Chairs (CUC); and metrics and benchmarks1 from across the sector. When considering individuals, this also includes the attributes and skills of the candidate and any changes in responsibilities and individual performance.
Read policies about expenses and income:
The 2024/25 academic year
The Committee met four times during the year according to its agreed annual cycle.
In October 2024 the meeting approved the Vice-Chancellor’s objectives for 2024-25 for noting by Council and the Annual Remuneration Report. The Committee reviewed new guidance on its ED&I responsibilities and noted a number of decisions which had been made by circulation in the previous months. Operationally, the Committee approved remuneration envelopes for recruitment of a Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and a University Secretary, and supported a severance proposal.
In December 2024 the Committee considered the remuneration for the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost Professor Munafò noting the start date of May 2025. The Committee undertook its annual training, which this year included sector pay trends, pressures on the Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES) pay spine and a draft reward and recognition roadmap. Data regarding equity in the Professorial pay system was also considered based upon three years of operating data of the new system.
The March 2025 meeting is dedicated to policy review, and the Committee spent some time reviewing its policy on the use of benchmarks in remuneration decisions. This review allowed the Committee to review the effectiveness of its implementation of policies on remuneration levels and equity. The Committee recorded decisions made by circulation regarding remuneration for the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) and University Secretary & Registrar.
In June 2025, the meeting considered the requirements for the Autumn performance appraisal round and provided guidance to the Vice-Chancellor. A first draft of the annual Remuneration Report, for inclusion in the Annual Accounts was discussed.
The Vice-Chancellor
Professor Taylor’s salary was established with reference to external benchmarks2, taking into account sector guidance and the initial expectations for the role. The basic salary was published as part of the announcement of Professor Taylor’s recruitment. The Remuneration Committee will continue to monitor remuneration matters, but the Vice-Chancellor is not contractually entitled to a salary review until the end of his second year in post. Other than the standard inflationary uplift applied to all staff, no changes have been made to his salary during the current year.
Professor White, the previous Vice-Chancellor who stepped down in July 2024 retains an ongoing employment relationship with the University as a Professorial Fellow. In accordance with OfS guidance regarding previous Vice-Chancellors, his remuneration is recorded in these accounts. It is noted that Professor White’s salary is commensurate with the responsibilities of the Professorial Fellow role, and aligns with sector benchmarks.