THE most senior officer with a North-East local authority is to stand down after more than a decade in charge.

Colin Sinclair will retire as Sunderland City Council's chief executive in December as part of a planned shake-up of senior posts.

The 51-year-old, appointed chief executive in 1993, said: "This is the ideal time for the council and myself to make a change.

"I've been chief executive with the authority for more than ten years now and we have achieved a great deal."

The council earned an "excellent" rating in the Government's first assessment of local authority performance round the country, last December, and Mr Sinclair recently spearheaded the launch of the city's peoplefirst programme to improve public services.

He said: "It's an ideal time for a new person to take over the reins and to lead the council into the next phase of its development."

Mr Sinclair intends to remain in local government and is "considering various opportunities".

Paying tribute, council leader Bob Symonds said Mr Sinclair will leave with the council's reputation, "at an all-time high".

"We are now looking forward to a new period of development where Mr Sinclair's successor can build on some very sound foundations in developing citizen-centred services and sustaining economic regeneration."

"Everyone wishes Colin well for the future."

Educated at the former Peterlee Grammar School, east Durham, Mr Sinclair studied at Aston University, Birmingham, and served with West Midlands County Council, Norwich City Council, Humberside Council and Birmingham City Council, before becoming chief executive in Sunderland.