A community stalwart who has dedicated almost two decades to local government is set to stand down.

Dereham town and Breckland district councillor Robin Goreham has announced that he will retire from council service at the next elections in May.

By the time he stands down, he will have completed 20 years as a Breckland Council and Dereham Town Council member. In that time, he has been Dereham mayor twice and chairman of Breckland Council.

He also served as a Norfolk County Council councillor for four years and was leader of the Labour group at Breckland for nine years.

Mr Goreham, whose wife Linda is also a long-serving town and district councillor, said it was time to pass the baton onto the next generation.

The 55 year old, who lives in Dereham and previously ran the Norwich Street Post Office in the town, said: 'Twenty years is long enough. Over that period you can try your hardest for your local community which I would like to think I have done. You achieve your goals here and there - becoming town mayor and chairman of Breckland - and bit by bit you've ticked off goals and ambitions. I've given it my best shot and now it's time for the next generation to come along and see what they can do.'

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital worker said he hoped to help train new councillors and would also be kept busy with his band Polaris.