A COLLEGE principal accused of feathering his own nest with a £304,000 severance package may refuse to give evidence on the issue.

John Doyle, the former head of Coatbridge College, in Lanarkshire, said he was bound by the terms of a confidentiality agreement.

Holyrood's public audit committee is currently investigating £850,000 worth of severance payments made to a number of managers from Coatbridge in 2013 when it merged with other institutions to form New College Lanarkshire.

Auditor General Caroline Gardner described the way the payments were made as one of the most serious failures in governance she has ever encountered.

Mr Doyle, who is expected to appear before the committee later this month, told the committee in written evidence that he wanted to clear his name, but was bound by a compromise agreement.

He said: "Thank you for your email requesting that I should submit evidence to refute the allegations made by Ms Gardner to your committee.

"In her statement she asserts that I, amongst other things, withheld information, acted outwith my remit and colluded with John Gray, chair of the board. She also states that she had difficulty obtaining information and thus based her findings on limited evidence.

"I am now advised by my legal representative that I may be in breach of my compromise agreement with my previous employer, now New College Lanarkshire, if I speak to this subject."

Mr Doyle has asked the committee to seek written assurances from New College Lanarkshire that he could "speak freely" when called before the committee.

He added: "I deeply regret that I am unable to furnish the committee directly with this information, but do hope that you will take the time to seek out this information and allow the facts to be known and my good name to be cleared."

Mr Doyle, a member of his staff and five managers shared half of a £1.7 million severance pot among them when the college was merged into New College Lanarkshire.

The committee also expects to hear from Mr Gray, the Scottish Funding Council, members of the college remuneration committee, internal and external auditors, the former director of finance and the former head of human resources.