North Lanarkshire Council chief executive, Paul Jukes, has announced his intention to retire later this year after 31 years in local government.

Mr Jukes, 59, has served North Lanarkshire Council and its predecessor Motherwell District Council since joining in 1987.

Announcing his retirement in an email to staff, Mr Jukes said: “I am very proud to have been able to serve the council and its communities throughout these years.

“I believe that we have come a long way in the last three years. The operations of the council have been transformed, with refreshed priorities and a new structure, and the introduction of ASPIRE. We are ambitious for our communities and we have set out those ambitions across our services. And we are well-placed to deal with the challenges ahead.

“It has been my privilege to work with some outstanding people in these 31 years. It’s safe to say that three decades is a long time in local government, with many different priorities and challenges, but one thing has not changed: the clear examples of commitment to local communities that I see every day. Across all levels of the organisation I am inspired by the efforts councillors and staff make to go above and beyond the call of duty.”

Councillor Jim Logue, leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “I have worked closely with Paul since the council came into being in 1996. He has been a tremendous asset to the council and its communities throughout his service and I would like to thank him for his commitment.

“The outstanding thing about Paul is his energy and his drive to improve things. He has certainly done that in all his time here, but particularly in his three years as chief executive. Being a council chief executive is an exceptionally difficult thing to do, and Paul has shown vision in transforming the council’s priorities and the way that we deliver services in extremely challenging times.

“He will be hard to replace, but he has set a direction which stands the organisation in good stead for the future.”

Mr Jukes joined Motherwell District Council as an assistant director of leisure services in 1987. In 1999 he was appointed director of community services, a post he held until internal re-organisation in 2007 created environmental services. In 2015, he was appointed chief executive.

He is married with two sons and two grandchildren.