A PRINCIPAL who led a further education college to become one of the best in the country is stepping down.

Phil Frier, who has headed City College Brighton and Hove since 2007, was last night roundly praised by business and community figures as an “exceptional leader”.

Mr Frier announced to staff yesterday that he will step down from the role of principal in August. In the five years since he became principal, City College has gone from a “satisfactory” Ofsted-rated college to one rated as “good with outstanding features”.

Tony Mernagh, the executive director of Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said: “Phil would be the first to say that the success was not down to him but to his team.

“But as everyone knows a team needs a really good leader. Phil has shown himself to be a leader of an exceptional standard.

“He will be sadly missed.

“You come across leaders like Phil no more than a couple of times in a lifetime.”

Brighton and Hove Albion chief executive Martin Perry chaired the recruitment panel that hired Mr Frier five years ago when he moved from Sussex Downs College.

Yesterday he said: “It was a superb appointment and he has done a brilliant job, culminating in last year’s outstanding Ofsted report. He will be a very hard act to follow. Brighton and Hove Albion work closely with the college and Phil has strongly supported the work of Albion in the Community. He has been a great friend, a real asset to the city and we will be sorry to see him go but wish him all the best as he sets off on his new path.”

Property developer Mike Holland, a patron of The Whitehawk Inn charity, said: “I have a great deal of respect for Phil. He has had an extremely positive impact on the city in general and in particular The Whitehawk Inn. It will be a great loss to the college.”

Mr Frier said despite having 40 years in education he is not ready to retire yet.

The father-of-four said he wants to concentrate on other interests and return to his “first love” of teaching and learning.

But he said working at City College had been “the best and most enjoyable” job of his life.

He said: “I know that I will miss it. It has been a great shared endeavour and been a challenging, exciting and purposeful journey working with other like-minded people who just want the best for the people in our community.”

Mr Frier said highlights of his time at the college include becoming chair of the City Employment and Skills Steering Group in Brighton in 2011.

Last year the college was also shortlisted for a national “outstanding contribution to the local community” award for its work with JobCentre Plus in helping local unemployed people to develop their skills.