City centre manager Marcus Lapthorn has accepted a redundancy package from Oxford City Council.

Mr Lapthorn's post was funded by the council and private businesses, and he is one of 32 staff who have accepted redundancy, or early retirement packages.

Those leaving their posts are the first round of a programme of redundancies involving 75 staff. Many of them met in The Goose pub, Gloucester Green, for a farewell drink.

The council is making the redundancies as part of £6m worth of cuts from services in April.

The council's executive board has agreed that the Oxford City Centre Management Partnership, headed by Mr Lapthorn for the past seven years, should be replaced by a new not-for-profit city centre company, run by a board containing business representatives and councillors.

Mr Lapthorn said: "I have been absolutely delighted to have had the privilege of working as city centre manager in this great city for the past seven years.

"Oxford is an immensely challenging and stimulating environment and broad shoulders, tact, diplomacy, and a thick skin are essential requirements for anyone in this post."

Mr Lapthorn said he was pleased to have been involved in numerous successful projects, including the establishment of a CCTV network for the city centre, redevelopment plans for the Westgate centre, and the Oxford Transport Strategy.

With the disbanding of the city centre management team, assistant city centre manager Sophie Lancaster has been seconded to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions for 12 months.

Council leader Corinna Redman said: "Marcus has done some excellent work and has left us at a point where we can involve even more people in a partnership designed to serve the city centre."