The boss of Gravesham council is to retire after nine years in the role.

David Hughes is stepping down from his post on March 31 but will continue to serve while a successor is found.

He spent the first two years job sharing in a position which also saw him head up Tonbridge and Malling council.

The sharing arrangement was scrapped in 2012 and he assumed sole responsibility for Gravesham.

Announcing his decision, Mr Hughes said: “I gave a commitment that I would remain in my post for a period following the May elections to assist the new administration in bedding in and establishing and starting to deliver its priorities for the next four years.

“I feel it is now the right time to pass on the baton to a younger person with the drive, energy and commitment to work with councillors for the benefit of Gravesham and its residents and provide effective leadership and support to the officer team.

David said guiding Gravesham through recent years of austerity was one of his hardest but most rewarding challenges.

"While other local authorities have had to pare back and contract out services, we have kept refuse collection, recycling, street cleansing, housing and housing repairs all in house," he said.

The council chief also praised the "incredibly diverse population" of Gravesham which he said made it a very different authority to others he had served in.

Mr Hughes' career in local government started when he joined Kent County Council in September 1970 as an accountant and internal auditor.

He moved to the London Borough of Greenwich in 1978 before returning to Kent to serve as finance officer in the Tonbridge and Malling administration.

Reflecting on a career spanning five decades, he said one of his finest achievements was his small involvement in bringing the 2012 Olympics to London.

After Kelly Holmes won two gold medals at the 2004 Games he was given five days to organise an open top bus parade through Tonbridge.

He said:" I woke at 6am on the morning of the parade worrying no-one would be there to watch it.

"By 1pm I was on standing on the curtain wall of Tonbridge Castle with the police commander looking at a sea of humanity and thinking we had bitten off more than we could chew.

“We managed to get some of the London 2012 team down for the parade and footage of it was used in the official bid video, so in a small way we helped get the games here.”

Read more: All the latest news from Gravesend