Mike Pitt is joining Swindon Council as interim chief executiveSAVE OUR SWINDON: SWINDON Council will be transformed, the latest man appointed to shake up the authority has promised.

And if anyone can do it Mike Pitt can - he is joining Swindon as interim chief executive from Kent County Council where he has a proven record of delivering results.

He has pledged to radically improve performance, claiming town residents could see Swindon placed among some of the best councils in the country within three years.

"I have got total confidence that we will be able to radically improve performance at the council," he said.

"Where Swindon needs to be is one of the best councils in the country and we are going to try to go for that as quickly as possible.

"I think people in Swindon should expect to see a transformation of the council within two to three years.

"I think the most important thing for Swindon is to help it appoint a first- class chief executive to take over."

But Mr Pitt, 56, who has been chief executive at the excellent rated Kent authority for seven years, did not rule out making changes during his time in Swindon.

"I intend to move quickly," he said. "I believe that a great deal can be achieved in six months." He also stressed that his focus would be on future improvements rather than looking at where things went wrong.

"I am not interested in looking backwards," he said. "I think Swindon has had more than enough people to carry out some sort of dissection on what has gone wrong. My job is to look forward."

Council leader Coun Mike Bawden was delighted with the deal, which sees Mr Pitt come to Swindon on a six-month secondment from Kent until the end of his contract there in October.

He had already decided to leave Kent at the end of his contract.

He will start work- ing two days a week in Swindon in April and start full-time on May 9. He may stay longer than the initial six-month agreement.

"This is a bit like Swindon Town Football Club being offered the services of Alex Ferguson for a period of time," Coun Bawden said.

He added that as Mr Pitt is on secondment his salary would continue to be paid by Kent.

The money Swindon pays Kent for the deal comes within the budget already allocated for the chief executive's wage, which is in the region of £130,000 per year, he added.

But Coun Bawden confirmed that if Mr Pitt's contract was extended Swindon would be looking to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to help fund the appointment.

Labour leader Coun David Nash also welcomed the appointment.

"The last thing that Swindon's recovery plan needed was a vacuum at the top, which has now been avoided," he said.

"Mike's first priority should be the appointment of his successor.

"The pace of the council's recovery must increase and the drive for this change should come from a permanent chief executive." Coun Chris Shepherd, leader of the Lib Dems, said: "Mr Pitt comes to us with high recom-mendations, so it is for him to show that he is equal to that challenge."

There will be one familiar face awaiting Mr Pitt when he starts work next month.

Andrew Ireland, an area director of social services at Kent, was yesterday confirmed as acting director of Swindon's social services depart-ment.

Director Keith Skerman is on sick leave.

Mr Ireland, 49, was already heading up the team brought in from Kent to help improve Swindon's zero-rated social services.

He said his priority would be to make sure improvements were maintained and acceler-ated.

"I see the department as having some highly committed and very able people working within it at all levels," he said.

"It is in the process of improving and the continuation of that process will improve confidence and bring about a momentum of its own."

Mr Ireland is also on a six-month secondment and his salary is paid within the £3.6m social services contract with Kent.

Mike has 'a safe pair of hands...'

MIKE Pitt has been given a glowing recommendation by the leader of Kent County Council and welcomed by politicians in Swindon.

But perhaps more unusually he is also admired by the journalist who covers political issues in Kent.

Paul Francis, political editor at the Kent Messenger Group, told the Adver that Mr Pitt would be asset to Swindon Council.

"Mike Pitt's credentials are impressive and in Kent he forged a formidable alliance with the ruling Conservative administration that saw the county council become one of the best regarded in the country," he said.

"He is a safe pair of hands and his lengthy experience heading a successful authority like Kent will undoubtedly prove an asset to Swindon.

"But he is also willing to embrace innovation and will not duck hard decisions if they are necessary."

Isabel Field