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Crawley BC chief executive, Michael Coughlin, looks set to become the new top officer at Reading BC.

Mr Coughlin's appointment is due to be ratified at a full council meeting next week, on 1 April.

He will succeed Trish Haines, who left in February to take up the top job at Worcestershire CC.

Mr Coughlin has been chief executive at Crawley BC since 2002, and has 27 years' experience in local government.

He has also held senior posts at Windsor and Maidenhead RBC, and Elmbridge BC. The chief executive of Argyll and Bute Council is to step down after 35 years in local government.

James McLellan has been chief executive of the authority since 1995. He joined Argyll CC as a legal apprentice in 1973, before it was reorganised into Argyll and Bute DC in 1975.

Mr McLellan said: ‘Local government is at the hub of community life and it has been a privilege to have been involved in the developments in public service at this time,' he said.