Coun Phil Wardle gave up his borough seat at this year's local elections, but will continue to serve Dinnington at town council level.

The long-serving Labour member has seen the landscape of the town – and the borough as a whole – change immeasurably since winning a seat in the Anston and Woodsetts ward in 1980.

And town council chairman Pauline Davies presented Coun Wardle with our 10th Rose of 2008 as a thank you for his dedication over the years.

"Being a councillor has changed dramatically," said Coun Wardle, 67. "When I started out it was a part-time position, and you held down a job as well, most people did."

"It was really only later on that it became a full-time position."

"But you see some who continue into their 80s, and that was never my intention. I want to give some of the younger ones an opportunity now."

After first representing Anston and Woodsetts for four years, Coun Wardle moved to Dinnington in 1984. He was in charge of finance until last year, and spent his final 12 months at the authority on the audit committee.

"Rotherham Council is not as comfortable as it used to be, let me put it like that," said Coun Wardle, who recalls when Sir Jack Layden, chairman of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, was also in charge of Rotherham.

"He was a leading figure in local authority business, so Rotherham tended to be propelled towards the national scene. Other than that, Rotherham is too often seen as the small orphan of Sheffield, but that's how it is."

The miners' strike provided the backdrop to Coun Wardle's move to Dinnington, and the demise of the coal industry played a major part in local politics.

"What I have seen in Dinnington itself is the end of coal, and what's been created from that. It's been a dramatic change."

"There are a lot more people now working in the service industry, and we have lots of hi-tech businesses on the old colliery site."

"It hasn't brought the problems that many people expected."

"It was during my time here that we agreed the deal to bring 600 new houses to Church Lane in Dinnington. And we also managed to get the bypass, which has eased a lot of the traffic on Laughton Road."

"Those two achievements stand out in particular."

Coun Simon Tweed was voted in to the retiring councillor's ward seat last month with 979 votes. Coun Wardle's advice to the newcomer was simply to continue with the hard work of Couns Jane Havenhand and Jacquie Falvey.

"You have to integrate with people from different areas to achieve things and impress decisions on Rotherham Council for the benefit of Dinnington."

With his extra spare hours, Coun Wardle plans to prioritise his family.