Fife Council’s chief executive Ronnie Hinds will attend his last council meeting today before retiring tomorrow.
Mr Hinds, who leaves after seven years at the helm, will be replaced by Steve Grimmond, who is currently the local authority’s executive director for environment, enterprise and communities.
Stating that serving as chief executive was the pinnacle of his working life, Mr Hinds said he was proud to have made a contribution to the delivery of public services.
“I will always look back with pleasure to my time in Fife and leave knowing that the council is strongly placed to deal with the challenges that undoubtedly lie ahead,” he said.
“My best wishes go to my successor, Steve Grimmond, who will provide the leadership the organisation now needs.”
Fife Council leader Alex Rowley thanked Mr Hinds for his significant contribution and added: “He has driven an agenda for performance management and service improvement across Scotland, which will help us continue to improve service and budget planning in the years ahead.
“I now look forward to working with our new CEO, Steve Grimmond, through the next period for the council, which will be very difficult in financial terms and challenging in redesigning all public services.”
Opposition leader Peter Grant added: “Ronnie has provided outstanding leadership to the council’s workforce during the most difficult financial times we’ve seen. I greatly valued his advice during my five years as council leader.”
Mr Hinds joined Fife Council as chief executive in 2006, from his post as head of financial services at City of Edinburgh Council.
Previously, he was controller of audit with Audit Scotland, director of finance with North Lanarkshire Council and head of corporate finance with City of Edinburgh Council.