A COUNTY council has announced that it's chief executive will be retiring this summer.

Hampshire County Council chief executive, John Coughlan CBE, is set to retire after being in the role since 2015.

John joined the council as its first Director of Children’s Services in 2005 and in 2008, he was awarded a CBE in recognition of his work for children's services.

He took on the role of chief executive after a national search, and as head of paid service, has since been responsible for managing the authority’s overall annual budget of £2.1 billion, a workforce of around 37,000 and for delivering services to 1.4 million people across the county.

The process of finding a successor is now due to begin shortly.

John Coughlan referred to the job as a "privilege" and said: “There is something very, very special about this Council and its people. I am so grateful to have been a part of it."

Leader of the Council, Councillor Keith Mans, said: “We will be very sorry to see John go and sincerely thank him for his service to the county.

"He has made an outstanding contribution to Hampshire as a place, and to the organisation that he has led. His commitment to public services has been second to none."