JULIA Unwin is to step down as chief executive of York's Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust after a decade in the post.

She will remain in post until the end of the year, following the autumn launch of a major new anti-poverty strategy by the foundation, which she has overseen.

"Julia will go on to pursue a number of new opportunities following her departure, including chairing a two-year inquiry into the future of civil society," said a spokeswoman.

Recruitment for her successor will begin over the summer, with a new chief executive expected to be appointed in the autumn, to start in 2017.

The spokeswoman said that under her leadership, the organisation had helped to kick start a national debate on issues such as in-work poverty, living standards and the lack of affordable housing.

"Julia has also led the organisation to adopt a four nation outlook by establishing a strong presence in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland."

Locally, the Trust had developed the 500-home Derwenthorpe settlement to high design and environmental standards. In 2013, Ms Unwin spent a day as guest editor at The Press' headquarters in Walmgate.

Ms Unwin said she had been 'privileged and proud' to lead the unique organisation for the last ten years.

"In that role, I have tried to protect and enhance the great assets that the organisation has: its financial strength, its committed staff, and its great name.

"At a time of great global, political and economic volatility, we have together worked to ensure that the needs and the aspirations of people and places in poverty are not overlooked, and that bold, practical and well evidenced solutions are found." She thanked trustees and staff for the support and encouragement she had received.

Tony Stoller, chair of Trustees, said she had been an outstanding leader, overseeing major changes in research, policy, housing and care work, and had established herself as a foremost authority in all these fields.

"Her intellectual and practical contribution to our work to understand and overcome poverty in the UK has been second to none, and she has laid the groundwork also for the future development of JRF and JRHT in the changing circumstances of the coming years.”