The chief executive of Hounslow Council has announced his retirement after nearly a decade at the helm.
Mark Gilks has devoted 40 years of his life to serving the public sector, including 21 years as a London chief officer.
The father-of-six will step down following the May elections.
He said: “I feel fortunate that my time at Hounslow has been characterised by service improvement across all areas, so the list of people to thank is enormous.
“I have a real sense of pride in the services we provide, given our frugal resources. We have four busy months ahead before I retire and I will be calling once again on the staff to rise to the challenge of budgets, elections, inspections, service reviews and even a bit more snow.”
Council leader Councillor Peter Thompson said: “I am personally grateful for the support and guidance Mark has provided to me as leader and to fellow members.
“His insight, dedication and experience have made a real difference to services and the community. I wish Mark every happiness in his retirement.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here