JUDITH ARMITT, chief executive of the Thames Gateway regeneration project, has been replaced after a year in the job.

Stakeholders have been informed in a letter that Joe Montgomery, the overall boss, will be taking day-to-day control of the multi-million pound scheme.

Speculation has been growing about the future of Ms Armitt since her non-attendance at two important meetings.

But on Tuesday officials gave the strongest indication yet that the former Medway council boss is being considered for a new role.

A Thames Gateway Kent Partnership board meeting last Thursday was told by chairman Rob Bennett that she was locked in talks with top civil servant Peter Housden.

The former Medway Council chief executive had been due to unveil the Medway section of the £400,000 Thames Gateway relief map last Friday but was not at the event.

Now one of the construction industry's top websites, Building.co.uk, the business magazine website of the year, has reported that she is understood to have left her post.

The news appears to have been confirmed in a letter sent on Tuesday to Thames Gateway members by Mr Housden, permanent secretary to the department for Communities and Local Government.

In the letter he reveals details of a major shake-up with Mr Montgomery taking over.

It states: "Joe Montgomery will, as Director General, Regions and Communities, now take direct responsibility for the Thames Gateway Executive and coordinate the work of government departments and agencies in the Gateway.

"Joe has a wealth of experience in regeneration and local government and will retain his seat on the Communities and Local Government Board in this role.

"Following the successful launch of the Thames Gateway Delivery Plan a fortnight ago, we are now discussing Judith's Armitt’s next move. Judith has made a tremendous contribution to the progress we have seen in the Gateway."

Minister are refusing to say what future role Mrs Armitt will play with Whitehall only confirming that discussions were ongoing.

A department spokesman, said: "Mrs Armitt will have a new role at some point in the future, but I cannot say any more because discussions are of a personal nature."

Mrs Armitt was the first chief executive of Medway's first unitary council but left the £150,000 a year post to join the Thames Gateway Development Unit 13 months ago.

At the Gateway Partnership Board last Thursday shocked officials from Medway Renaissance, Swale Forward and Kent Thameside Delivery boards sat in silence as Mr Bennett told them that Mrs Armitt’s deputy, Paul Hudson, was taking on her appointments.

After the meeting at Canterbury Christchurch College in Chatham Maritime, Mr Bennett said that Mrs Armitt was in discussion with Mr Housden, a Permanent Secretary, about her future role.

Parliament's Public Account Committee recently criticised the government's handling of the Thames Gateway. Edward Leigh, the chairman, said the communities department was “manifestly not up to the job of managing the enormously ambitious enterprise of regenerating the Thames Gateway region”.

*For full report see Friday's Medway Messenger