Vincent council’s longest serving member Dudley Maier is calling it a day.

First elected in 2005, Cr Maier says he needs a break and plans to do some bike touring with partner Sally Lake, a former councillor: “I thought I could keep working the next couple or years and then go cycle touring, or take a break now.  I’m physically tired.”

Cr Maier, who turns 60 next year, says, “It was a very hard decision and I had lots of sleepless nights over it”.

He had his 150-word candidate statement ready to submit Thursday morning but ultimately decided to put it back in the drawer. “Sometimes I think I regret it, but I can’t go back.”