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.”