CIVIC leaders have paid tribute to “a great servant of West Somerset to whom we owe a huge debt” – West Somerset Council assistant chief executive Bruce Lang – who is stepping down today after nearly 40 years as the new local authority comes into being.

Bruce worked briefly in his father’s building and decorating business before joining West Somerset Council as a junior administrative assistant in 1980.

He climbed steadily up the promotions ladder to be enterprise and development manager, then chief regeneration development manager, moving to corporate director and monitoring officer before becoming assistant chief executive in 2014.

“West Somerset Council has been my only job and when it comes to an end it seems a logical time for me to go,” he said.

“West Somerset has been my life, both personally and professionally. I have never wanted to be anywhere else and if I had my time over again I wouldn’t change a thing.”

He added: “There was an inevitability that West Somerset Council couldn’t go on for ever – the odds were stacked against us. We worked really hard but were in a standstill position come the end and had to look for a partnership with another authority.

“In many ways, the council worked really well. I have had some great colleagues and some really dedicated councillors.”

West Somerset Council leader Anthony Trollope-Bellew said: “Bruce has been a great servant to the council and to West Somerset and will be greatly missed.

“We all wish him a happy and long retirement. No-one could have done more to steady the ship through some of the difficult times we’ve had.”

Bruce’s story is in today’s Free Press.