Wilfrid Wigney, who has died aged 97, spent his life in public service.

As clerk to Ploughley Rural District Council, serving the Bicester and Kidlington areas, from 1946, he began a rolling programme to get every village on mains water and sewerage.

"Before we began, most people had to get their water from wells," he once recalled.

The council was the first authority in Oxfordshire to build more than 1,000 homes in the post-war building boom.

Mr Wigney was born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, and worked as deputy clerk with councils in Cheshunt and Chesterfield before coming to Oxfordshire.

He worked for Ploughley council at offices in Bicester until 1974 when the authority joined others to form Cherwell District Council.

He was chief executive of the new council for the first few months before retiring after 43 years in local government.

He was a founder member and former president of Bicester Rotary Club.

He also started Bicester Probus Club and helped set up Bicester and Ploughley Sports Centre.

The sports centre was only the fourth of its kind in England, and Mr Wigney had to work hard to persuade councillors to support the £185,000 project.

His daughter, Lorna Logan, said: "My father was justifiably proud of the immense improvements Ploughley made to houses and infrastructure in many villages, including Kidlington, in the post-war years."

Mr Wigney, who lived in Linkside Avenue, Oxford, leaves three children and seven grandchildren.

His wife Lorna, whom he married in 1940, died in 2003.