The deputy leader of Gloucestershire County Council Ray Theodoulou is standing down.

Conservative councillor Theodoulou has been in charge of managing the county council's books for 14 years.

Mr Theodoulou will continue to serve as a county councillor for Fairford and Lechlade-on-Thames, in the Eastern part of the Cotswolds.

He is the county council's longest-serving cabinet member, having taken on the role in 2005.

Mr Theodoulou is also the last remaining member of the cabinet that took control of the county council, after 20 years of Labour and the Liberal Democrat control.

Councillor Lynden Store (C, Campden Vale) will take on the responsibility of the county council's finances in May.

Mr Theodoulou said: “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work for the people of Gloucestershire, and work with councillors from all parties, and dedicated council officers, for the past 14 years.

"I am proud of what we achieved during that time – and I know that success will continue in future. I look forward to continuing to represent the residents of East Cotswolds division as their county councillor.”

Mr Theodoulou has been responsible for delivering more than £315million of savings since 2017, according to a Gloucestershire Conservative party spokesman.

Councillor Mark Hawthorne, leader of the county council, said Mr Theodoulou's record of long service "will be impossible to match".

Mr Hawthorne (C, Quedgeley) said: “Ray has worked tirelessly for Gloucestershire people for many years in numerous roles beyond his finance brief.

"His efforts, quietly, tenaciously working to save the taxpayer money for so many years, have been crucial to protecting frontline services that people depend upon.

"His record of long service will be impossible to match.”