THE new chief executive of the combined Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is regarded as a 'transformation' specialist.

Graham Farrant has been recommended for the £180,000 position by the councillors overseeing the recruitment of new senior officers.

Currently the chief executive of HM Land Registry, he has previously held the top job at Thurrock Council and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

The leader of the shadow authority, Cllr Janet Walton, said Mr Farrant was chosen due to his “extensive experience” in the public and private sectors.

On his appointment at the Land Registry in 2015, business minister Matthew Hancock said he had "the skills and knowledge to lead and manage the organisation through its transformation into a modern, digital organisation".

He has some 15 years of private sector experience as well, as CEO of Leisure Connection Ltd and then pmpgenesis Ltd, two leisure industry management consultancy firms.

Bournemouth council managing director Jane Portman was thought to be the front-runner for the new position but councillors opted to bring in a new face.

The appointment will also mean that Dorset County Council chief executive Debbie Ward had missed out on the top job in both new councils.

The other two candidates were Melbourne Barrett, chief executive of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, and David Williams of Portsmouth City and Gosport Borough councils.

Mr Farrant is expected to be formally appointed to the role at the next meeting of the shadow authority on October 17.

It follows the selection of North Dorset, West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland councils’ chief executive Matt Prosser to the top position on the new Dorset Council.

With a salary of £165,000 a year, Mr Prosser will immediately take up the role of chief executive designate.

Speaking after the decision was rubber-stamped on Thursday, Mr Prosser said: “I’m immensely proud to have been appointed as the first chief executive of the new Dorset council, having been part of the journey that resulted in the submission to Government for this reorganisation to happen.

“The challenges that all local councils face means that we need to develop new ways of working to ensure that our frontline services can be sustained and delivered into the future.

"With less funding from central government, the new Dorset Council needs to make sure that it is as efficient as possible and continues to make Dorset a great place to live, work and do business.”

The process for officially appointing the new BCP chief executive will follow the same process as Dorset, with the recommendation made by the shadow authority’s senior appointments panel before requiring approval from the full shadow authority.