Carolyn Downs is leaving the Legal Services Commission to take up a new role at the Local Government Association in the new year.

Downs took over as chief executive of the LSC in March 2010 on secondment from the Ministry of Justice, following the resignation of Carolyn Regan.

She will join the LGA as its chief executive in January.

LSC chair Sir Bill Callaghan said: ‘I warmly congratulate Carolyn on her new role. It is very high profile and one which Carolyn is ideally positioned for.’

He said: ‘Carolyn has achieved a great deal in her time at the LSC, including her work on financial stewardship, executive agency transition and legal aid reform.

‘Carolyn's successor will be announced in due course to ensure a smooth transition to executive agency status and also to ensure our other key work programmes - like our integrated delivery programme, legal aid reform implementation and financial stewardship - are maintained,’ he said.

LGA chair Sir Merrick Cockell said: ‘I am delighted to welcome Carolyn as chief executive of the LGA. She brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked at every tier of government nationally, regionally and locally - and for virtually every different type of local authority.’