Dundee North East councillor Andy Dawson is to stand down at the forthcoming Dundee City Council elections.
The SNP veteran, who has been involved with the party since the 1970s, is to cut back his active workload and stand down as SNP ward member for Dundee North East.
First elected in 1999 after taking early retirement from Michelin, Mr Dawson had first become involved in the SNP in the campaign to elect Gordon Wilson as MP for Dundee East.
Mr Dawson, who is married to Helen, has two sons Will, who is SNP councillor for the East End ward and convenor of city development, and Andy Jr, who is active in Caird Branch and as a steward at SNP conferences.
The party stalwart, whose 70th birthday and long service to the SNP were celebrated at their autumn conference, hopes to continue to help in forthcoming elections.
He said: ”I was honoured to represent the constituents of the North East Ward for 12 years and to take an active part in a number of community organisations in the area.
”I will be sad to step down, which is mainly on doctor’s orders, but I am happy with the improvements and direction that the council is taking with the SNP running the administration.
”I would like to take the opportunity to thank all my colleagues and my constituents for their support and for putting their faith in me during the past 12 years.”
The SNP has confirmed that Fintry resident Gregor Murray will be the North East candidate and running mate of Councillor Willie Sawers in the council elections in May.
Leader of the administration Councillor Ken Guild paid tribute to Mr Dawson and said he would be sorely missed by the party and his constituents.
”Andy has been a stalwart of the party for many years. He’s been absolutely dedicated to the work of the SNP and to Scotland.
”People like him are the very backbone of the party and he was a very effective councillor for many years.
”We will be very sorry to see him go. We will miss him very much and so will the people of Whitfield.”
Conservative group leader Rod Wallace, who served with Mr Dawson on the licensing committee, also paid tribute to him.
”Andy was my deputy for 10 years on the committee and I always got on well with him and his very nice family,” he said. ”I’ll be sorry to see him go but I wish him all the very best and hope he has a very happy retirement.”
Liberal Democrat leader Fraser Macpherson said: ”He’s a thoroughly nice man, an absolute gentleman and he’ll be missed in the council. You could not find a more pleasant and courteous man.”
Labour leader Kevin Keenan added his good wishes, saying: ”He is a decent person to work with, he is a good councillor and he cares about his constituents, which is where we should all be.
”Being cynical, I wish he had been a Labour Party supporter because he is the kind of person you want to be a councillor.”