Ipswich council is preparing for big changes next year as chief executive Russell Williams announced he would be leaving at the end of January.
His departure will be followed in May by that of leader David Ellesmere who announced earlier this year that he would be returning to the backbenches.
Mr Williams will have been chief executive at the borough for 13 years by the time he leaves - he was appointed following the sudden death of his predecessor Jim Hehir in November 2009.
He has been with the borough for a total of 27 years - and said he was stepping down while he was still fit and healthy enough to do something else.
He said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to be the Council’s Chief Executive – only the 5th in the last 70 years.
"I have always planned to depart when I am young enough – and hopefully fit and healthy enough - to do something new and challenging.
"Going now should enable the Council to appoint a new Chief Executive to be in place for a new Leader after the 2023 elections.
"I am very grateful to the Councillors, Council staff and partners that I have worked with over the last 27 years and in particular the two Leaders I have worked with – initially Elizabeth Harsant and more recently David Ellesmere.”
Mr Ellesmere said: “I will be very sorry to see Russell go. He has been the Chief Executive throughout my time as Leader of the Council and has been an incredible support.
"In those 12 years, he has been instrumental in helping the Council protect services in the face of large funding cuts, bringing the Garden Suburb to fruition and dealing with the enormous challenges from Covid.
"I wish him well in whatever he does in future.“
Mrs Harsant added: "It has been a great privilege to work with Russell over the years and for the support he has always given me - especially when I was Leader of the Council and during the difficult time when he took over as Chief Executive after the untimely death of James Hehir.
"We have seen some huge changes in Ipswich which have been admirably led by Russell and he will be greatly missed by all.
"I, like all my colleagues, wish him all the very best for the future wherever that might take him."
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