Milton Keynes chief executive John Best has resigned in the wake of highly critical reports on his handling of the council’s school build programme.

The announcement was made after a special staffing committee meeting held ahead of a full council meeting with corporate director Kate Page appointed as interim chief executive.

Council leader Isobel McCall said: 'Kate may well be in post for at least six months and possibly longer, leading and managing the organisation pending recruitment to the permanent post. In the meantime, arrangements will be put in place to cover her corporate director role.'

Both Mr Best and director of learning and development Vanessa Gwynn have been on leave from the council since publication of the first report by Richard Penn, a senior associate of SOLACE Enterprises, in February which criticised the lack of action by both the chief executive and director of learning and development.

Mr Penn also criticised other members of the Milton Keynes' corporate leadership team for contributing to major problems with the programme, though a supplementary report acknowledged that cabinet member Euan Henderson, who had already resigned in advance of the meeting, had called for more speedy management action on problems with defects and delays building new schools.

His initial report found ‘fundamental weaknesses’ in the schools programme and a absence of effective project management which exposed the council to significant risk with Mr Best ‘ less than engaged’ with problems in the school build programme.

Mr Penn said: ‘The question has to be asked why the chief executive regardless of personal style preference, did not see it as his clear organisational responsibility to intervene and to intervene decisively when he became aware that there were organisational obstacles.’

He said there was a ‘continual failure’ by Ms Gwynn to recognise and accept responsibility for the schools programme which led to a catalogue of problems with new buildings.

A specially prepared statement from Milton Keynes Council, said: ‘After five years at the helm of MK Council, during which he has led the organisation from being a weak council to three stars and improving, John Best is moving on from his current role.’