Whitehaven News readers have vented their frustrations as Cumbria County Council announced that the Chief Executive is set to leave the role.

Gill Steward, who has only been in the position for a few months, will step down from December 1.

The council's deputy chief executive will take over the position whilst the council 'considers its options'.

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council, said: "Gill Steward has decided to step down from her position of chief executive for Cumbria County Council.

"From December 1, John Readman will assume the responsibilities of the chief executive in his capacity as deputy chief executive whilst the Council considers options going forward."

Last month, Cumbria County Council's cabinet issued its judicial review application, challenging the UK Government's decision to split Cumbria into two unitary authorities.

On the Whitehaven News website, members of the public have shared their thoughts on Steward’s departure, with the majority unhappy with the way the Council is being run.

One reader commented: “We're mugs! We're absolute mugs for allowing this corruption to go on in plain sight and in our name! The woman was on £194,000 a year as Chief Executive of Bexley Council in London and oversaw a disaster in reorganisation so much so that they terminated her contract and gladly paid her £94,000 compensation to get rid of her.”

Another commented: “What a joke, who is responsible for employing her in the first place? She obviously wasn't fit for the job and has created a trail of destruction from wherever she's been in the past.”

Some readers took the opportunity to provide what they think should be the Council’s next steps. One said: “The county still faces the massive challenge of a senseless restructuring of its local government. The simplest, cheapest and logical solution was always a unitary Cumbria. The division into two unitary authorities is scarily complex.”

Others want to know why Mrs Steward has decided to leave the role after such a short period of time. One said: “As a rate payer I want to know why she stepped down. If it's because due process has not been followed and uncovered discrepancies people running the process should be dismissed.”