THE chief executive of the York and North Yorkshire chamber of commerce is to retire next spring, it was revealed yesterday.

Roland Harris, 57, has been at the helm of the organisation for five years.

The chamber's management board has set up a small working group to find a successor to Mr Harris, of Kirk Hammerton, near York.

Mr Harris, who was previously a director and former president of the regional chamber, said: "I have greatly enjoyed my job and my earlier involvement, but there comes a time when you decide to do a lot of the things which have eluded you.

"Technically, I've planned to leave in April but will stay on until the end of June if there is difficulty finding a successor.

"Whichever, I will always be available to support the chamber with whom I have had a long and happy relationship."