The secretary and chief operating officer of the City of Hamilton is to retire this month.

A spokeswoman for the City of Hamilton said Ed Benevides “has been at the helm of the city since 2008 and has decided to retire at the end of this month having reached retirement age”.

Charles Gosling, the Mayor of Hamilton, said that Mr Benevides had played an “integral role” at the corporation over the last decade.

He added: “I’ve always appreciated his advice and input, as well as the long hours he committed to the city.”

Mr Benevides was suspended on full pay after he was charged along with three others in connection with a failed hotel development on Hamilton’s Par-la-Ville car park.

Mr Benevides and Graeme Outerbridge, the former mayor, had been accused of agreeing corruptly to obtain property for the benefit of Michael and Yasmin MacLean by authorising the release of $15.4 million from an escrow account at the Bank of New York.

Mr Benevides, Mr Outerbridge and Mr MacLean, the proposed developer of the hotel, were also accused of dishonestly obtaining the money in the account, belonging to Mexico Infrastructure Finance.

The MacLeans were further charged with stealing $13.7 million belonging to MIF and using stolen money knowing that it “in whole or in part directly or indirectly” was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

The charges against Mr Benevides, Mr Outerbridge and the MacLeans were dismissed last month.

Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons ruled that there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

Mr Gosling said: “I can imagine that the court’s ruling was a huge relief to him and his family, as was it to the city.”

He added: “I’m just relieved for him and his family that this unfortunate episode is behind them.”

Mr Gosling said that Mr Benevides left “momentous shoes to fill” and that he was grateful that he would remain as a consultant until the end of the year.

The spokeswoman said that applications to replace Mr Benevides would be accepted “soon”.

She added that the full job description would be posted in the Official Gazette and on the City of Hamilton’s website.