The announcement on the Clyde and Hebrides routes was followed by criticism from a senior councillor on the Western Isles.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | CalMac ferry contract confirmed

Gwynedd councillor Penri Jones resigned his position as the education portfolio leader, while another senior councillor resigned from the Plaid Cymru group.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Wales | North West Wales | 29 schools 'to close' in shake-up

His comments come in the same week a senior councillor from Cornwall's cabinet resigned over an alleged plan to use what she has described as "lie detector" technology.

BBC: Alec Robertson

Tributes have been paid to senior Edinburgh councillor Tom Buchanan who has died from a brain tumour.

BBC: Tom Buchanan

Ross Willmott, senior city councillor, said he hoped the building could be saved but added the council would have to listen to the developers.

BBC: The Abbey Mills building (Photo: rg+p)

Briefing journalists ahead of his speech, the most senior Liberal Democrat councillor in Wales, Rodney Berman was clear that the white-hot anger which was felt on many doorsteps against his party since that deal between David Cameron and Nick Clegg in 2010 has begun to cool.

BBC: How much anger on the doorstep?

Prior to Mr Brown's resignation, councillor Graham Godbeer, a senior member of the authority, said any wrongdoing "should be investigated properly".

BBC: Bribery investigation councillor Graham Brown resigns

Councillor Derek Davies said a senior planning barrister had advised the authority that there is a "strong case" to challenge the secretary of state's decision.

BBC: Housing plan for Bishops Cleeve area sparks court battle

The councillor said there was a danger senior officers' pay "may be spiralling upwards due to competition by 22 local authorities".

BBC: Walkout