A DISTRICT council leader has paid tribute to an opposite number who has announced he is stepping down.

Councillor Lynden Stowe announced that he is quitting as leader of Cotswold District Council after 11 years at the helm.

West Oxfordshire District Council leader councillor James Mills praised the work that Cllr Stowe has carried out in office.

Cllr Mills said: “Lynden has provided strong and consistent leadership during a challenging time for local government.

“Recently, we have worked together closely as our councils have shared a number of services and this model is proving a highly successful and efficient method of delivering value for residents.

"I wish Lynden every success for the future. His legacy is significant and I look forward to seeing it develop further as together we face new challenges in the future."

Cllr Stowe has highlighted how council tax has been kept low during his tenure, while recycling rates are high and significant work has been carried out in key areas such as flood prevention.

He also oversaw the introduction of council-owned environmental services company Ubico in 2012 which now serves West Oxfordshire as well as nearly all the councils in Gloucestershire.

Cllr Stowe said: “The advent of joint working with other authorities most notably West Oxfordshire has enabled us to make significant savings without any detriment to the quality of our services.”