CIRENCESTER'S town clerk is bidding farewell to the town after nearly a decade in the post.

Andrew Crook, 62, who joined the town council in 1998, is retiring next month to live in Cyprus with his wife Hazel.

The father-of-two announced his successor would be Andrew Tubb, currently the deputy town clerk at Didcot Town Council, at last night's full council meeting.

Mr Crook told the Standard this week he has enjoyed enormously his time at the council, and as clerk to the Bingham Library Trust.

He said: "I will miss the daily challenges of the job and the fact that one is always learning something new every day - it's been good and the council has achieved a lot.

"The council plays a wonderful role with the town. The facilities it provides in terms of recreation are quite outstanding and I think if anything the council has an understated role."

Before joining Cirencester Town Council, Mr Crook was the principal solicitor at Stroud District Council. Before that he worked as a solicitor locally, in London and in the Channel Islands.

He has decided to live in Cyprus because he and his wife were drawn to it like a magnet during trips there in the past.

His substantial contributions to the Kingshill Lane Sports Development and the Bingham Gallery are his proudest achievements as town clerk.

On the future, he said: "There are great opportunities for involving and empowering the community and Cirencester and my successor must make every effort to make sure those opportunities are not wasted."

Town councillor Geoffrey Adams, who sat on the interview panel that selected Mr Tubb, thanked Mr Crook for his hard work.

He said: "We shall miss Andrew - he is a very hard-working, conscientious man and the town council will miss him greatly."