Geoff Bonner is leaving (From Witney Gazette)

Geoff Bonner is leaving

9:00am Wednesday 13th September 2006 in Witney By Maddy Biddulph

WEST Oxfordshire District Council's chief executive, Geoff Bonner, pictured, is leaving the authority after 'becoming part of the furniture' for almost ten years.

Mr Bonner will work his last day on Friday, September 22, before starting his new job as chief executive at Hart District Council, in Hampshire.

He said: "I will miss the members and the councillors. I'll also miss West Oxfordshire itself."

Mr Bonner joined WODC in 1996, and in the last ten years, he has seen many changes to the way the council is run.

He said: "It is a very different organisation to what it was ten years ago.

"We are doing a lot more in the community, dealing with health issues and hospital closures, and are more involved in environmental issues."

Mr Bonner, of Jacobs Mill, Witney, said he was sad to leave West Oxfordshire, but was looking ahead to his new challenge in Hart.

He added: "In social and economic terms it is similar to here and has a lot of the same issues."

WODC leader, Barry Norton, said Mr Bonner had been an excellent chief executive.

He added: "In recent years, our authority has had to adapt to huge changes in the way councils are administered, and we have been subjected to unprecedented inspections, burdens, and constraints imposed by national Government. In spite of this, the district council has been resolute in protecting our heritage and way of life, and has continued to be a good-performing and low-charging council. Geoff takes with him his share of the credit for this, and we wish him well with the new challenge he is taking on."