Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard has reshuffled his pack after Dale Heenan's resignation from the cabinet.

Coun Renard has moved one of his Conservative colleagues sideways and drafted in a backbencher to the administration.

Previous cabinet member for organisational excellence Robert Jandy takes on Coun Heenan’ role – slightly modified to become the member for culture, heritage, leisure and town centre experience.

Replacing Coun Jandy in his job is Vinay Manro.

The responsibility for regeneration, given to Coun Heenan in the reshuffle in May after the local elections, has been moved to Coun Renard himself, as he already had responsibility got economic recovery.

Coun Renard, said: “I am delighted to be able to give Vinay his opportunity to come on to cabinet and use his experience and expertise for the benefit of our residents and the council. He has been really effective in his previous roles and will bring new perspectives and ideas to our work.

He added “Rob has led the council’s drive to become an effective and efficient council but also has a broad range of experience in many areas, including the cultural sector. He is ideally placed to take on this agenda as we emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown and I look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role.”

Coun Jandy said: “I’m extremely pleased to be given this portfolio. I have been working with arts organisations for many years and I’m very happy to be in this environment.

“I’m still being briefed, so I need to see where we are and work out what’s the art of the possible – but I’m very keen to work with the community and get in people and organisations so we can work together. We have so much to be proud of in Swindon and so many arts and cultural organisations are active here.”

Coun Manro said: “I’m very pleased to be given this opportunity – it’s a big challenge, but many of the things we do are, and if I wasn’t up for it I wouldn’t be here.”

He said the organisational excellence and customer service portfolio underpinned most of what the council does more visibly, adding: “I think this portfolio is the nuts and bolts of the council.

"We need to run well to be able to do the things the council is here to do and every officer has a role to play.

“Customer service is also very important – people have to be able to get in touch with us.

“If you think of a business, if you want to get a builder to work on your house, if one doesn’t get back to you, you try another one.

“There isn’t another council; there’s no-one else who does what it does in Swindon, so we must provide the services the people of Swindon need.”