CUMBRIA County Council's chief executive will step down from next month, it has been confirmed.

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."

This is at a very crucial time for Cumbria County Council as local government reform is introduced into Cumbria.

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.

In the summer, then Secretary of State Robert Jenrick accepted a proposal to split Cumbria in two.

Barrow-in-Furness, South Lakeland and Eden will be governed by one 'east' council; Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle will be governed by a 'west' council.

However, some believe that the Government's decision was politically motivated, designed to consolidate Conservative power in the North West.

This was the basis for the legal challenge from Cumbria County Council's cabinet, which is made up of a coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

After months of conflict between Labour and the Conservatives, the Cabinet officially began with legal proceedings on October 21.

Anne Burns, deputy leader of the Labour Group on the council, said: "For the short period that Gill has been with us in Cumbria she has certainly made a difference.

"She started the process of the very difficult local government reform that Cumbria is going to go through. She has gotten along very, very well with the other chief executives and actually started pulling together a good programme.

"I'm just very sorry that she has not felt able to stay with us here in Cumbria, because as far as I am concerned she as been a very, very good person to work with."