Swindon Borough Council will have a new chief executive officer from the end of July.

Sam Mowbray, the current chief operating officer at Euclid Street, will step up to the leadership of the paid officers when current CEO Susie Kemp leaves.

Ms Mowbray’s appointment was approved at the full council meeting last week.

But while there was a very solid majority of councillors in favour of the appointment, the way it was brought about was not without criticism.

Council leader Jim Robbins told members the appointments sub-committee, which met in private session two days before, had approved two things - the appointment of an interim CEO for 12 months to allow the council to find the best permanent replacement for Ms Kemp, and also the appointment of Ms Mowbray to that role.

It needed the ratification of the full council but senior Conservatives were not happy with the way it had been done.

The deputy leader of the Tory group, councillor Dale Heenan, said he had no issue with the appointment of Ms Mowbray and he wanted to support her, but he was concerned by what he said was a rushed and secretive way of going about things.

He said: “This is no way to appoint a CEO. It was announced on Twitter that the chief executive had resigned, and the sub-committee met on July 9. The report was public but not the meeting.

“A pattern is emerging about the way this administration is going about things.”

One of Coun Heenan's predecessors and fellow Conservative Russell Holland said: “The process may be legal but it isn’t good enough.

“I think council should send this back and revisit it in September.”

Labour members were not impressed by these suggestions.

Coun Robbins said it was "graceless" to raise the points in the chamber, even though Ms Mowbray had left the meeting for the discussion and vote on her appointment.

Newly-elected Labour member for Chiseldon & Lawn Neil Hopkins said he had 40 years of experience as an HR professional.

He added: ”This is a very important appointment at a crucial time for a council going through changes.

“It’s quite common to make an interim appointment, there’s nothing rushed about it.”

The appointment was passed with the votes of Labour councillors and at least half of the Conservatives, with five votes against and two abstentions, all from the opposition benches.