A damning report which claims that Bermuda College president Charles Green enjoyed perks at taxpayers' expense without the approval of his board has been delivered to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), The Royal Gazette can reveal.

It is understood the report alleges that about $20,000 from the public purse was spent on Dr. Green's telephone and electricity bills and on membership to an exclusive private members' club.

It further claims that no cap was put on the amount which could be spent on renovations on the cottage that Dr. Green lives in for free at the college's Stonington campus and that the work was not put out to tender - resulting in a bill of between $250,000 million and $500,000 million.

The Royal Gazette understands the report, presented to the Government committee at a private hearing on Tuesday, contains the results of an inquiry undertaken by former College Board chairman Nalton Brangman, who was sacked by Education Minister Neletha Butterfield last month.

Mr. Brangman has refused to comment on his investigation until his findings are made public by the PAC. He said yesterday that the committee had asked for a further meeting with him.

Shadow Finance Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, chairman of the PAC, would last night only confirm that a meeting of the committee was held this week regarding issues it raised in a letter to Mr. Brangman earlier this year.

But a source - who would not be named but who has read the report - told this newspaper that it had brought some "disturbing facts to light" and raised serious questions about the way the publicly-funded college handled its finances.

"It appears that what Dr. Green was given was never voted (on) or approved by the College Board. The matters in this case were the membership of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and his electricity and telephone bills."

The source added an amount in the region of $10,000 was paid for the club membership, including Dr. Green's food and drinks tab. A further sum of about $10,000 was spent on his electricity and telephone bills.

It is understood the report claims that those alleged perks were not included in Dr. Green's original contract and that approval from the College Board was not sought.

It alleges that PLP Senator Raymond Tannock, who was College Board chairman at the time, sanctioned the payments and that the college's chief financial officer Lloyd Christopher paid the amounts from college funds.

The source added: "The practice of granting membership is in breach of Government's financial instructions. Payment of the bills doesn't breach the rules directly but if these are going to be paid they should have been in the contract or it should be by written instruction of the board."

Dr. Green was appointed college president for three years on a salary of $136,000-a-year in 2004 . He was off the Island last night but has previously denied any wrongdoing and said that any perks he enjoyed had full board approval.

Sen. Tannock said yesterday that he was happy to defend his record as college chairman. "I have not done anything that I am ashamed of," he said. Mr. Christopher could not be contacted for comment.

Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said some responses to questions asked by the PAC had been forthcoming, other responses were the subject of further investigation and some answers were still outstanding.

She added that if any issue under consideration required further action she would make the necessary recommendations in a report she intends to table in the House of Assembly next month.

Evelyn James Barnett, the college's director of communications, said: "It would be most inappropriate for the college to comment while the PAC is conducting its investigation.

"The Minister has already assured that any concerns of the PAC would be addressed expeditiously by the new chairperson of the board, Dame Jennifer Smith, and the college is committed to supporting this process."

Auditor General Larry Dennis said yesterday that while he could not comment on the PAC investigation, he could confirm that the college had so far failed to file accounts for financial years 2004/2005 and 2005/2006.

He said the quango was one of a number of Government bodies failing to file regular accounts and the public ought to be concerned about that.