Northumberland CC has internally promoted corporate director of finance, Steve Mason, to the new role of lead executive to head the county's restructured senior management team.

The decision follows Northumberland's decision last November to cut the number of directorates from five to three and devolve chief executive responsibilities to one of the remaining directors as part of £42m budget saving measures.

The county's chief executive Steve Stewart took voluntary redundancy in the aftermath of the announcement, along with deputy chief executive Kate Roe and director of children's services, Paul Moffat.

Northumberland's director of adult services, Daljit Lally has also assumed responsibility for children's services in addition to her existing role, and former Newcastle City Council chief executive Barry Rowland has been chosen as executive director of local services.

It has also emerged that Northumberland has hired the former chief executive of the now abolished Blyth Valley BC, Geoff Paul.