The chief executive of Middle Level Commissioners is leaving to enjoy retirement after 32 years with the authority.

Iain Smith, clerk since 1984 and chief executive since 2000, retires on New Year’s Eve.

He will be replaced as clerk and chief executive by the present chief engineer, David Thomas.

Lorna McShane joins as solicitor and assistant clerk.

David joined the Middle Level in 2005 from the Bedford group of internal drainage boards and is currently responsible for managing the delivery of flood risk management and navigation services in the Middle Level area.

He also acts as consulting engineer to more than thirty independent internal drainage boards, both within the Middle Level area or in close proximity.

David also sits on various panels and steering groups as a technical expert including for the Association of Drainage Authorities and the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management.

Lorna began her career as a solicitor working for local authorities in Northumberland and the north east coast before being appointed as head of legal and democratic services and monitoring officer at the Borough Council of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire.

Lorna’s main specialism is planning and environmental law and she has also worked in private practice as part of the national planning team at DLA Piper’s Birmingham office.

Until December 2015 she was legal services manager and commercial and deputy monitoring officer at Central Bedfordshire Council.

For the past year she has worked in Tewkesbury as senior planning lawyer to Tewkesbury, Cheltenham and Gloucester city councils.

Lorna took up her appointment at Middle Level Commissioners on December 1.