THE new chief executive of Slough Borough Council should have been someone without any ‘prior connection’ to the authority, the opposition leader has claimed.

Conservative Cllr Wayne Strutton, who leads the borough’s Tories, was the only councillor on a job panel to vote against Roger Parkin’s permanent appointment as chief executive. Mr Parkin is the current interim chief executive of the council, after former chief executive Ruth Bagley left the organisation last year. He is set to be formally ratified in the permanent role on November 28 at a meeting of councillors.

Explaining his decision, Cllr Strutton said: “I don’t doubt Roger’s enthusiasm and that he wants to do well for Slough, but I felt this was the wrong job for him. There are better people for the COO (chief operating officer) position.

“We needed someone with no prior connection to Slough Borough Council, who could take the helm with a fresh pair of eyes and no pre-conceived allegiances.”

Mr Parkin chose not to comment on Cllr Strutton’s claims.

The panel of five that reviewed the candidates was also composed of the council leader, Cllr Sohail Munawar, Cllr Nora Holledge, Cllr Sunyia Sarfraz, and Cllr Mohammed Sharif, all Labour.

Cllr Sharif rebutted Cllr Strutton’s claims. He said: “We advertised nationally, and appointed an independent agency to manage the applications. It was open to everybody, we had a transparent process, that was independently managed.

“We had to make a decision, and Parkin was the best option out of the ones we had in front of us.”

Mr Parkin was told last Friday that he had got the job and mayor, Ishrat Shah, announced it during a one-year anniversary celebration of The Curve.

Mr Parkin said he was “happy, proud, and excited”.

He said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge, and to making this town the great place it can be.”

When asked why he had got the job, he said: “I’ve been living here for 24 years, been a director for nine years, and interim chief executive for the last 18 months. I think they recognised that I had the experience.”