Aberdeen City Council has announced that Derek McGowan has been appointed as the new head of communities and housing at the local authority.

Mr McGowan will join from the City of Edinburgh Council, where he is integrated family and household support manager, and will start his new role in January 2017.

The role became vacant after the retirement of Donald Urquhart.

Aberdeen City Council communities, housing and infrastructure convener, Councillor Neil Cooney, said: “Providing a first class housing service is one this Council’s biggest priorities.

“It is an exciting time for the communities and housing team with hundreds of new build council houses soon to be delivered, the launch of our Local Outcome Improvement Plan and a number of UDECIDE participatory budgeting projects taking place. I wish Derek all the best in his new role.”

Angela Scott, chief executive of Aberdeen City Council, said: “Derek has all the experience we were looking for in a head of service and was the stand out candidate during the recruitment assessment centre and elected member interview.

“I am sure he will be an asset not just to the communities and housing service but to the whole council and I thoroughly looking forward to working with him in the future.”

Mr McGowan said: “I’m delighted at being appointed as head of communities and housing, with the opportunity to be a part of the hugely exciting plans for Aberdeen.

“Through the recruitment process I met many colleagues and partners. I am looking forward to building on those foundations to ensure quality of life is at the heart of planning and service delivery for Aberdeen’s communities.”