Terence Herbert has been appointed as the chief executive officer as Wiltshire Council moves to single-tier leadership.

This comes after cabinet members voted to approve proposals to change Wiltshire Council to a one tier senior leadership structure and a period of formal consultation with then chief executive officers on June 9.

Members of the Officer Appointments Committee panel approved Mr Herbert’s appointment when they met on June 26.

On his appointment, Mr Herbert said: "I am delighted to have been appointed as the chief executive of Wiltshire Council and I look forward to continuing to work with the leader, members, staff and our partners to bring resilience and stability to businesses and communities across Wiltshire during this challenging time.

“The recovery from this pandemic will be my overriding priority and I am proud to be able to undertake such an important role.

“I am sure that working alongside the excellent team here at the council we will continue to maintain and improve our position as one of the best councils in the country.”

They also approved an application for voluntary redundancy from Alistair Cunningham.

Mr Herbert will officially take up his role from Wednesday, July 1 and will be working with the leader and cabinet to shape and lead the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Cllr Philip Whitehead, leader of Wiltshire Council, said: "I am delighted Terence has accepted this position.

“He comes with a wealth of experience and a great understanding of Wiltshire and the communities we serve.

“In this new structure the chief executive will provide a focal point of leadership for the council's recovery from the impact of Covid-19 and will support the council to refocus its future strategies and priorities.

"The response to Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the council's financial position and this, together with the impact on our communities and our economy, will mean challenges that require us to evolve and change as a council to meet them.

“Myself and the cabinet look forward to working with Terence in this new role."

Cllr Whitehead also thanked the outgoing chief executive officer for place, Alistair Cunningham, OBE – who will officially leave the council on Friday, July 31.

"I'd like to thank Alistair for his commitment, hard work and leadership over the years, in particular in his role as the chair of the Recovery Coordinating Group during the Salisbury incident. We wish him all the very best," added Cllr Whitehead.