LANCASHIRE county council leader John West has announced his retirement from local government after 40 years.

County councillor West, who represents the Preston South/East constituency, intends to step down from politics in May and will not be seeking re-election.

The current deputy leader of the county council, Coun Frank McKenna, will take over as the authority's new leader after the May election.

Coun West has been at the helm of the county council for 13 years. He was chairman of the finance sub-committee for nearly a decade and has served on all the main committees of the county council.

His decision to leave local government comes ahead of his 62nd birthday in April.

He said: "I thought long and hard as to whether I should commit to another four years to front line politics. Leading Lancashire County Council is more than a full-time job and leaves little time for myself."

Coun West was born in London and grew up in Dublin where his family had a bar and restaurant business. He moved to Preston in the 1960s. During his political career Coun West has introduced the last budget under the old rate system in 1989, introduced the first and last of the infamous Poll Tax, and brought in the first of the new Council Tax system.

"I have enjoyed my time in local government," said Coun West. "I feel privileged to have led the fourth largest authority in the UK as well as operating at the top locally, regionally and nationally.

"I am leaving at the right time, having steered the county council through reorganisation, and I leave it with a new modern Constitution fit for the 21st century."

Coun West is currently writing a book on local government which he hopes to complete later this year.

He intends to spend more time travelling to visit friends in New York and Dublin and may take up a part-time national role.

He has three grown up children.