The Scott Trust will today discuss Alan Rusbridger’s succession to the chairmanship of the body which owns The Guardian.
Former Guardian editor Rusbridger is set to replace Dame LIz Forgan as chair of the body in September.
But he has faced briefing against him from senior figures within the company in recent weeks who blame him for its current dire financial predicament.
When Rusbridger stepped down in May last year, Guardian News and Media had just reported operating losses of £19.1m. Operating losses for the year to April 2015 have more than tripled with the result that the company is facing 20 per cent cuts to its budgets and the loss of 250 staff.
Others in the company blame GMG chief executive David Pemsel and chairman Neil Berkett for allowing the losses to grow unchecked.
This week Guardian financial editor Nils Pratley joined the Scott Trust as the elected staff representative to the body.
In his election address Pratley raised concerns about operating losses for the paper of £300m over the past decade and “cash outflow” of £80m in the past 12 months.
And he said: “I share the concerns, aired in the recent staff and chapel meetings, about accountability on the Scott Trust’s board. Standard principles of good governance have not been followed and shortcomings need to be addressed.”
Press Gazette understands that some staff are concerned about the governance issues around Rusbridger moving from editor to Scott Trust chairman.
One “ally” of new editor Katharine Viner (who also sits on the Scott Trust) told The Times last month Rusbridger’s appointment to become chair of the body was an “Orwellian nightmare”, because they feared he would oppose the proposals to cut 250 staff and at least £54m a year from budgets.
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