Ipswich Borough Council meetings will never seem quite the same again following the retirement of three long-serving councillors with more than 100 years’ service between them.

John Mowles, Bill Quinton and Albert Grant have all served as mayor of the borough during their time on the council – and all have had a major impact on life in the town.

They were all Labour councillors and were given a special presentation to mark their long service following this week’s annual meeting of the authority.

Mr Mowles has been a councillor for 45 years – he was first elected to the old County Borough of Ipswich before local government reorganisation in 1974.

He was in the front line until this month’s election, serving as portfolio holder for housing on the executive.

Housing has been his passion on the authority and he was overseeing the first major council housebuilding programme in the town for a generation.

Mr Quinton spent 32 years on the borough, twice serving as mayor. He was also a past chairman of the council’s planning and development committee.

Mr Grant spend 26 years on the council in two terms – and was a founder of the Ipswich Caribbean Association.

He was awarded the OBE for his work in promoting community relations in the town.

The three men were presented with special awards by new mayor Roger Fern and his consort Ellie Grist, Mr Fern’s granddaughter.

Council leader David Ellesmere said: “John Mowles, Bill Quinton and Albert Grant have all given decades of service to the borough council and to the people of Ipswich and their hard work, advice and judgment has been invaluable.

“It will be a strange place without them in the council chamber but I am sure they will all still play a role in the community.

“After all, that is what they do best.”