HE'S seen around five different Winter Gardens schemes come and go and several different Pavilion plans pass by.

Numerous years have been spent working diligently on ambitious redevelopment schemes, only for them to be swept aside by a new administration.

So it seems strange to hear Stephen Godsall, Bournemouth council's retiring executive director for major projects, describe his local government career as "really rewarding".

"I think there are great benefits to working in local government," he says. "There may not be the monetary rewards but you get a lot of job satisfaction and a huge amount of variety."

The trick, apparently, is to be in it for the long haul. If you're looking for short-term success, you'll end up frustrated. Particularly in Bournemouth, where councils have a habit of changing every four years.

But then again, Stephen has put in 15 years service at Bournemouth and you'd think that would be long enough to see something happen on the Winter Gardens site.

"It can be frustrating," he admits. "I thought the last Winter Gardens project was really exciting, bringing together all those organisations.

"It was a real shame to lose that, especially after having put so much effort into it.

"But the reality is you have to understand there are changes in political priorities. They just happen at the wrong time and a particular scheme can be a casualty."

There were no such problems at the start of his career, when he joined Tamworth council at a time of massive expansion and oversaw the creation of an arts centre, sports centre, golf course, council-run cinema and a couple of new parks.

Spells at Worcester, South Lakeland and Bolton followed before he joined Bournemouth as director of leisure and tourism in 1993.

He believes that Bournemouth has done better than many rival resorts in coping with the massive changes in leisure and tourism but says there are some areas where the town is still lacking.

"Bournemouth's done better than many other major resorts, especially with the conference market, but Brighton has invested more in their cultural and arts programme.

"I sometimes feel a bit jealous when I see some of the variety of events coming to Brighton and not to Bournemouth.

"And in terms of creative industries, there is not very much made in Bournemouth. Whether it's art, music or drama, we need to have more made in Bournemouth.

"I just hope the investment in the Pavilion makes it a flagship theatre, the best on the south coast."

When asked what he is most proud of, he cites the town centre library, the Russell Cotes refurbishment, the variety of catering on the seafront and the redevelopment of the BIC.

But when it comes to downsides, there's one big blot on the landscape - literally.

"The IMAX is a difficult one," he said. "A majority of people, cross party, wanted it. People in the tourism industry were pushing for it, even the Echo was supportive.

"There was also a very strong feeling that the private sector was what Bournemouth needed. There is a lesson there. The council has to be very careful about losing control of key sites."

But he is adamant it shouldn't deter the town from taking risks in the future.

"In leisure and tourism you are always trying to get something new, something cutting edge. With something that's new there's always a risk. If Bournemouth doesn't want to get stuck in the doldrums, it has to take a risk.

"Bournemouth has a lot of grumpy old people that want to keep things like they were in the 1950s. You can't afford to do that."

There was also the controversy that engulfed the Pavilion casino project. How did he feel when he saw the scheme become a political football during the 2007 local elections?

He thinks carefully before answering: "I think a super casino would have been wrong for Bournemouth which is why we never went for it but there was cross-party support for a smaller casino as a way of regenerating not just the Pavilion but the Westover Road area.

"I have no interest in casinos personally but it will create jobs and it will be an anchor for a lot of wider investment.

"It's absolutely right that a new administration scrutinises what comes before and asks difficult questions. I'm glad that they did and they found nothing wrong."

And he has nothing but praise for the vast majority of Bournemouth councillors he has worked for. "Councillors are unjustly maligned," he says. "They put in a huge amount of voluntary effort for very little reward and very little thanks."

But will he miss working with them? Stephen will still be helping the council progress the town centre vision but has no qualms about leaving his full-time post.

"I'm looking forward to stepping back," he said. "Bourne-mouth needs new ideas and I've been working here long enough."