A Cabinet Office executive director has been named as the new chief executive of the Payments Council.

Adrian Kamellard (pictured), who has worked at the Cabinet Office since last year, will take over the Payments Council top post in November.

The chartered accountant had previous held senior positions at Partnerships UK and Broadband Delivery UK.

Chair of the Payments Council Richard North said, “Adrian is well placed to help us drive through our innovation plans for the way we pay and to communicate these to the many stakeholders we need to reach.”

Following the Treasury Select Committee's decision to reopen its inquiry into the Payments Council's proposed abolition of cheques in April, a m onth after the former chief executive Paul Smee departed to become director general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, North faced criticism of his organisation by politicians. After being accused as an organisation of "rank incompetence" North admitted that the Council should have communicated the abolition plans better.

With the reopening of the cheque abolition question in March, the Select Committee had also requested public submissions about the accountability, independence and effectiveness of the Payments Council.