Charities told to clamp down on pay for fat cat bosses after they agreed to rises despite donations falling Investigation found that 14 UK foreign aid charities - including Save the Children, the British Red Cross and Oxfam - agreed to pay rises First code of conduct about pay in the charity sector due to be published next spring Charity Commission head: high salaries risked bringing the sector "into disrepute Charities will receive guidelines on "appropriate levels" of pay in the wake of revelations of chief executives receiving six-figure salaries. An investigation last week found that 14 UK foreign aid charities - including Save the Children, the British Red Cross and Oxfam - agreed to pay rises despite donations falling. International Development Secretary Justine Greening called for more transparency as MPs complained that people donating after emotional TV appeals may feel misled. High earners: Among the highest paid chief executives of charities are Justin Forsyth, left, a former New Labour adviser who earns £163,000 as chief executive of Save the Children, and British Red Cross' Sir Nick Young, right, who earned £184,000 last year Yesterday, it emerged the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which represents charities in England and has 10,000 members, will draw up guidance for charity trustees "on how to go about determining senior staff remuneration." The advice, which will be the first code of conduct about pay in the charity sector, is set to be published next spring. Chief executive Sir Stuart Etherington, who is calling on the Charity Commission to set up a working group on pay levels, said yesterday: "The public are right to ask that their donations are spent effectively and efficiently. Setting senior staff salaries is a complex task for trustees, who have to balance many factors to determine the right pay level in their organisation. I believe definitive guidance would be a useful resource for trustees and would help give the public confidence that salaries have been properly considered. I'm pleased the Commission is responding positively to our proposal to work together on this. Former Oxfam chief executive Dame Barbara Stocking, pictured left with Miriam Gonzalez Durantez (right), wife of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, was another high earner A spokesman for the Charity Commission said: "We welcome this initiative from NCVO to work on an advisory code for charity trustees when setting senior staff salaries, and we would be happy to be involved in a process that supports trustees to fulfil their duties when making decisions." Priti Patel, the Conservative MP who said charities should spend less on executive salaries, said: "The Charity Commission should be commended for taking this positive step by looking at the wholly inappropriate levels of executive pay across the charitable sector." Charity Commission head William Shawcross said that high salaries risked bringing the sector "into disrepute." It emerged last week that of the 14 charities on the Disaster Emergency Committee, six executives earn more than the Prime Minister, and 30 were on six-figure salaries. Among the highest paid are Justin Forsyth, a former New Labour adviser who earns £163,000 as chief executive of Save the Children, and British Red Cross chief executive Sir Nick Young, who earned £184,000 last year. Dame Barbara Stocking of Oxfam took home £119,560 before stepping down this year. Charlie Elphicke MP, who sits on the public administration select committee, said: "Charity bosses need to remind themselves that charity is a vocation, not an opportunity for personal enrichment. More people will volunteer and donate when they know charitable funds are targeted at the front line rather than the boardroom. But charities say their pay is lower than levels in the private sector and they "need to attract the best people."