In your article (The Argus, February 7), details are published concerning the salaries of the principal and senior postholders of City College.

31, 2005, they include a provision for potential bonuses which do not relate to the year in question.

You are therefore not comparing salaries year on year on a similar basis. I would like to clarify the position.

It is not true the principal "took home £145,000 in 2005" and "earns more than the PM's salary".

The actual salary payable to the principal for the year 2004/2005 was £118,800, including a bonus, an increase of eight per cent over the previous year.

Tony Blair's salary, as Prime Minister and MP, was £178,922. The senior post-holders at City College also received an eight per cent pay award in 2004/2005.

This compares with the pay increases made to all staff at the college, who received an annual pay increase of between six and nine per cent.

City College was one of only eight colleges in the whole country to implement a pay award of six to nine per cent, resulting in our staff being well-paid in comparison with the rest of the Further Education (FE) sector.

City College is one of Brighton's largest employers and the salary of the principal compares with the recommended pay scales for South-East colleges with similar turnovers to City College, whose budget in 2005 was £18.1m.

We have ensured the remuneration of our principal, senior post holders and staff fairly reflects the responsibilities, excellent performance and contribution they have made to the college.

-Martin Perry, Chairman, City College, Brighton