A FORMER council chief in Worcestershire has been handed a new role reviewing complaints for a press watchdog.

Trish Haines, who quit Worcestershire County Council in 2014, has been appointed an examiner at the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).

The former social worker spent six years at the helm of County Hall as its chief executive, working closely with its two ex-Tory leaders George Lord and Adrian Hardman.

Her new position means she will be tasked with reviewing how IPSO handles complaints, making sure the process is fair and transparent.

Mrs Haines, who still lives in Worcester, is still a well-known face around Worcestershire from her time at County Hall.

She said: "I'm very pleased to have been appointed as the independent complaints reviewer.

"Complainants and publications need to be certain that their case has been dealt with in accordance with IPSO's rules and regulations, and I'm looking forward to getting stuck in to my new role."

Sir Alan Moses, who chairs IPSO, said the body was "very pleased a candidate of the calibre of Trish Haines" has secured the position.

During her time at the county council she had to oversee unprecedented budget cuts which led to widespread shrinking of the in-house workforce.

Mrs Haines was asked if she would retire early by the Conservative leadership due to concerns that if she waited until she turned 60 in September last year before stepping down, it would be in the middle of a four-year plan to cut £98 million from the budget.

After her departure was announced, some workers started a Facebook campaign to try and get her to reconsider.

She held social work management posts in Berkshire, Suffolk and Worcestershire before being appointed Director of Social Services in Warwickshire in 1997 - a position that helped her land County Hall's top staff job in 2008.

The 61-year-old earned £176,000 a year as chief executive and has also worked for the NHS, Malvern Theatres and Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire.