KERSTEN England has guided City of York Council through tough times. She took over as chief executive in 2009, when the global recession was at its height. Among her first announcements was a plan to trim £1.6 million from the authority’s budget.

She made clear that senior managers would lose their jobs as well as front-line staff. This sent a clear message that everyone was in this together. Since then, there have been repeated cuts in the budget: cuts forced on the authority by Whitehall austerity measures which have hit many local services hard.

There has also been controversy: over Lendal Bridge; super-care homes; the lack of openness the authority has sometimes displayed; long delays over the community stadium. But there has been achievement, too: new Park & Ride sites; movement on York Central and Terrys; the community stadium again; attracting businesses such as Hiscox to York.

As chief executive, Mrs England was not a politician. She was an appointed council officer whose job was to pilot through policies. She served two administrations: one Liberal Democrat, one Labour.

While not everyone will agree with the political decisions made during her time, few could doubt she has been a capable administrator committed to the good of York. The respect in which she is held is underlined by the reaction from politicians and business people alike to the news she is leaving to take up the top council job in Bradford.

We wish her well. Now the search must begin for someone equally capable to replace her.