TEST Valley Borough Council chief executive Alan Jones has left to become the new boss of Somerset County Council after seven years in the job.

Councillors and officers gathered at Beech Hurst on Friday to say farewell to Mr Jones, who came to Test Valley after a spell as director of development at Newbury District Council.

Mr Jones said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the people of Test Valley and working to provide excellent services.

"Now is the right time to move on. I will be sorry to leave this lovely part of the world, but I look forward to new challenges in Somerset."

On leaving university Mr Jones, who is a Master of Civic Design and also holds a Diploma in Management, began his careers as a town planner, working in Maidstone, Gravesend and Reading before becoming chief planning officer at Stevenage.

His record of managing and sustaining improvement led to a recent secondment from Test Valley to Watford Council to help improve its record.

Mr Jones is active in local government organisations at all levels.

He is a Fellow of the University of Southampton and has served on school and college boards as a governor.

A keen cyclist, he is a member of the National Cycling Strategy Board and has been responsible for many initiatives improving routes for his fellow enthusiasts.

Married with two daughters, Mr Jones lives in West Berkshire but he will be moving to Somerset when he takes up his new job next month.