AN INVESTIGATION has begun into undisclosed bonuses for bosses at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow.
The venue's biggest shareholder, Glasgow City Council, has instructed auditors to examine awards of hundreds of thousands of pounds to its chief executive and directors.
The authority, which owns 91% of the shares in the SECC, ordered Deloitte to review a system of lucrative pay incentives dating from 2005.
Bonuses fall into two categories: performance-related pay (PRP) and a long-term incentive programme (LTIP).
In 2011/12, chief executive John Sharkey was given £85,000 on top of his £190,000 salary.
Despite councillors being on the board, the council said they learned of the bonuses only recently when the SECC declared them, to comply with legislation. In 2010-11, Mr Sharkey's PRP was £51,000 and his LTIP was £25,500.
Following discussions with the council, Mr Sharkey said he would split his latest PRP among the SECC's 132 staff. However, he held on to his £38,000 LTIP.
Four other directors received PRP and LTIP bonuses totalling £50,386 and £90,996 last year.
Councillor Graeme Hendry, of the SNP group, said: "These bonuses are hard to justify in the current climate. It seems surprising senior staff were unaware."
Tory councillor David Meikle called for watchdog Audit Scotland to investigate.
SECC chairman Sir Ian Grant said his board had a "rigorous" rewards policy while a Glasgow City Council spokesman said it had started a review into the issue of bonuses.
rebecca.gray@ heraldandtimes.co.uk