Stella Manzie

Barking and Dagenham Council chief executive Stella Manzie has left her job after just 14 months, it has been reported.

According to a number of sources, Ms Manzie - the authority’s highest paid staff member - is no longer head of the council, although this has yet to be confirmed by town hall chiefs.

Ms Manzie was appointed in March last year on a £150,000-a-year salary, taking over from acting chief executive David Woods.

Before to Mr Woods the top post was held by Rob Whiteman who left in May 2010.

According to the council, Ms Manzie was one of the lowest paid council chief executives in the capital.

She was formerly employed as chief executive of Coventry City Council and West Berkshire Council.

Immediately before joining Barking and Dagenham she had been the Scottish Government’s director general for justice and communities.

Ms Manzie was awarded a CBE for services to local government in 2007, and was a non-executive director at the Treasury between 2005 and 2008.

Barking and Dagenham Council said it could not comment on the reports at present.