COUNCILLORS know the identity of Swindon Council's new chief executive but taxpayers will not find out until Wednesday.

Candidates were whittled down from an interested list of more than 70 to three, which included acting chief executive Simon Birch, and put through a gruelling interview process.

Council leader Kevin Small (lab, Western) who headed the selection panel, said: "I am confident we will have chosen the right person with the necessary leadership qualities to take this council forward. We needed to choose someone with strong management abilities who could unite the senior management team and take us in the right direction."

A salary of £125,000 was advertised to the successful candidate capable of leading the council out of its current predicament more than £25,000 more than the salary of the previous post holder, Paul Doherty who resigned last July.

Private recruitment specialists Tribal GWT have been brought in to help the council find its man, who will be responsible for a budget in excess of £180 million.

The recruitment of a new chief executive, who is expected to be in place by June, is the latest in a series of top level appointments intended to strengthen the council's leadership following the departures last year of social services director Marie Seaton and education director Mike Lusty.

The vacant posts of head of social services and assistant chief executive will be advertised soon.