Cumbria County Council will consider appointing an interim following the announcement last week of the early retirement of its chief executive Jill Stannard from next month (see The MJ, 25 April, p1).

The council said of her early retirement:'The decision relates to a series of service reviews being commissioned by the chief executive to develop options for reshaping the council, ready for consideration by the new political administration following the county council elections on 2 May 2013.