Trinity Mirror's Alistair Nee has stepped down from his position as regional managing director, Midlands, it has been announced.

He had been in the role since April 2001 and will leave the company on December 3.

He is succeeded by John Bills, who moves from his position as regional managing director, North West & North Wales, and takes up his new role with immediate effect.

The news come just a week after a vote of no confidence in Alistair and editor-in-chief Roger Borrell was passed by National Union of Journalists members at the Post & Mail in Birmingham.

A Trinity Mirror spokesman said his departure was "absolutely not" connected.

His departure has been welcomed by members of the NUJ, who said they hoped the move would bring an end to the series of redundancies which had "plagued the Post & Mail for the past two years".

A union statement said: "The chapel seeks an early meeting with the new managing director so that the Post & Mail can move on from this sorry saga of cuts."

Consultations over plans to cut a number of editorial roles at the group's Midlands titles are currently under way, and it is understood that these will be unaffected by the change in senior management.

An NUJ ballot on industrial action at the Post & Mail is due to begin on Friday.

John will report directly to chief executive Sly Bailey until the arrival of Georgina Crace, managing director, regional newspapers, in February 2005.

He is succeeded by Sara Wilde, who was previously regionals commercial director.

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