THE election in May to decide who will represent city residents for the next four years will see massive changes in the city Chambers.

Voters go to the poll on May 4 but a host of weel kent faces will be missing from the ballot papers.

A total of 79 councillors represent the 21 wards in the city but this year a large number will not be standing for re-election.

The ruling Labour group is losing 14, some of them hugely experienced and long serving.

Seven members of the current SNP opposition have decided to quit along with two Greens, an independent and one councillor who was suspended from the SNP group making a total of 25 existing councillors who have decided to move on to pastures new.

Since the last election the council has also lost a number of other elected representatives.

Former Labour council leader Gordon Matheson resigned last year to take up a post as Visiting Professor for the Institute of Future Cities at Strathclyde University.

SNP councillors Martin Docherty and Alison Thewliss opted to quit last year when they were both elected as MPs and transferred to Westminster.

Labour councillor Chris Kelly left the council in November last year for a job outside politics, Green councillor Liam Hainey resigned in May 2015 because of health reasons and in July last year, Labour councillor John Kelly tragically died as a result of motor neuron disease.

High profile members of the Labour group who have decided not to stand again include Lord Provost Sadie Docherty and former Lord Provost Liz Cameron.

Partick born Mrs Cameron, a Glasgow University graduate who worked as a college lecturer, was first elected to the former Glasgow District Council in 1992

Her 25 years in local government make her the second longest serving member of the city council.

Over her quarter of a century Mrs Cameron has represented Anniesland and Garscadden/Scotstounhill and become well known in the areas resulting in her having one of the biggest personal votes in the city.

As well as serving as Lord Provost she was vice chairwoman of the first women's health working group, convener of culture and leisure services, chairwoman of Glasgow Life, council spokeswoman for economic development and spokeswoman for children, young people and lifelong learning.

Mrs Cameron said: "Twenty-five years is a long time and I feel there is more to do in other places.

"I would like to see more of the world as well as my own country. I speak Italian, French and a bit of German but want to learn Spanish and brush up my Italian.

"I am chairwoman of the Scottish International Piano Competition and chairwoman of Scottish Opera and want to do more choral singing so won't be hanging up my boots completely.

"And if there is anything my dear city needs someone to speak up about I will be very happy to help.

"But there will also be time to sit and watch the world go by which I have never done in my life.

"I seem to be a bit of a workaholic so I will be going forward and doing things."

Other prominent councillors to move on include Labour's George Redmond who has represented Calton for the past 18 years.

He is the has been chairman of Glasgow Life and SPT, convener of the property and planning committees and twice the council spokesman for development and regeneration.

Mr Redmond who also runs the credit union for Bridgeton, Calton and Dalmarnock, said: "When I was elected the population of my core area was 12,500 - it is now 20,000 and growing with new developments on site, in the planning process or in the pipeline.

"There have been 3000 new houses built, new schools and community facilities and the East End Regeneration Route built as well as the Emirates Arena. Around £1billion has been spent in the area since 1999.

"It has been a lot of hard work but when I was elected my mother told me to do my best because Glasgow deserved my best.

"For 18 years I have give the area my full commitment and have done my best for the people but you get to a time when the next step is a different step.

"I have a wee granddaughter who is three and I want to spend more time with her and my daughters.

"I am still going to be involved with the credit union which I established in 1991 because there are people in the community who are as much my family as the blood relatives I have."

Also standing down are lawyers Paul Rooney who represents Garscadden/Scotstounhill and Jonathan Findlay who represents Drumchapel/Anniesland.

Mr Rooney was chairman of Strathclyde Police Authority and spent years as City Treasurer taking on pay day lenders and fixed odds betting machines.

Labour's Jonathan Findlay has combined working as a lawyer for East Dunbartonshire Council with his duties as a councillor and chairman of SPT.

The SNP is losing Graeme Hendry, the former leader of the opposition in the City Chambers and Austin Sheridan who became Scotland's youngest councillor when he was elected in 2012 at the age of only 19.

And Nina Baker, co-convener of the Green group is also opting not to stand for re-election.