LONG-SERVING councillor Bob Wright has chaired his last meeting of Swindon Borough Council’s scrutiny committee.

The Labour member for the Central ward had intended to step down as a councillor at the end of April, but is serving another year as the elections were postponed because of the coronavirus lockdown.

At the end of Tuesday’s meeting his party's group leader Jim Grant paid tribute.

He said: “He has chaired this committee and has been scrupulously fair, diligent and intelligent. Bob is a political animal to his bones, but more than that he is a Swindonian to his bones – he was born in Penhill.

“He has been a critical friend to this administration and has been extremely thorough in scrutinising this administration.”

Coun Grant said the meeting he chaired sometimes rang quite long, adding: “We are coming up on three hours, which is perhaps no surprise, but that is also tribute to his diligence on behalf of the committee and the community."

Tory council leader David Renard said: “The meetings have sometimes gone on longer than we would have liked, but only because you have been scrutinising us fairly and thoroughly and I would add my personal thanks, and those of the Conservative group to Coun Wright.

Coun Wright himself said: “I always see meetings as an opportunity to educate and support my fellow members.”

The new chairman of the committee will be Jim Robbins, the Labour councillor for Mannington and Western.