Barking and Dagenham LBC chief executive, Stella Manzie is poised to step down from her role after little more than a year in the post, The MJ understands.

According to well-placed sources, Ms Manzie, who earned £145,000 a year, will leave her position today amid 'difficult circumstances' locally. While the authority has not confirmed her departure, or provided an official reason for it, sources have suggested that the chief executive and council leader, Cllr Liam Smith, have clashed in recent months.