The Lord Mayor of Chester has unveiled a plaque to commemorate the work of a council officer who lost his life in tragic circumstances.

Alan Slater, the former head of strategic housing and spatial planning at Cheshire West and Chester Council, was killed in a landslide after conquering a 17,100ft-high climb in the Himalayas in 2013.

A memorial plaque was unveiled in his honour by Lord Mayor Hugo Deynem and the council’s chief executive, Steve Robinson, at the official opening of the Parade Enterprise Centre in Blacon.

Alan, who retired in September 2013 following four and a half years with the authority, had been a key player in the Blacon redevelopment.

Following his retirement, the keen mountaineer had been on a month-long expedition to the Himalayas where he had scaled the 17,100 ft Shetidhar peak that he had attempted once before.

Sadly, the expedition ended in tragedy.

Alan – who was from Walton, Liverpool – and the climbing party successfully reached the top but on their way back down there was a landslide due to severe weather and the 67-year-old and two of the guides tragically lost their lives.

Alan’s wife Margaret, their son Andy and daughter-in-law Marie were at the opening of the centre and plaque unveiling.

Steve Robinson said: “It is with great sadness that Alan is not here with us to see the fruition of all his hard work and dedication.

“I am confident in saying that this redevelopment would not have happened if it wasn’t for the role Alan played in bringing together the right partners, putting clear plans in place along with a package of funding and the gritty determination something as complex as this needed to make it a success.

“This plaque is in memory of Alan with the very fitting words: ‘He climbed mountains across the world and scaled the heights with his devotion to the communities he served as a local government officer.”