A managing director’s role is set to be axed in a restructure at a group of Johnston Press owned titles in the East Midlands.

Dawn Sweeney, MD of JP subsidiaries Wilfred Edmunds Ltd and North Notts Newspapers, is currently in consultation with the company over her future.

Her role is due to disappear as a result of the restructure but discussions are taking place over a possible alternative role.

Ms Sweeney survived a previous pre-Christmas management cull a year ago which saw the departures of two other neighbouring divisional MDs, Mark Rodgers of Sheffield Newspapers and Paul Bentham of South Yorkshire Newspapers.

A Johnston Press statement said:  “Following a detailed review of the senior management structure within the North Midlands South Yorkshire region, the company proposes to realign the organisational structure.

“Under the proposed restructuring the role of managing director Wilfred Edmunds Ltd would be redundant and executives in this business would report directly to John Bills, managing director of the North Midlands South Yorkshire companies.

“Prior to any implementation, we are consulting extensively with Dawn Sweeney, managing director Wilfred Edmunds Ltd and in the event this proposal goes ahead, the company will endeavour to minimise the impact of the proposal through redeployment to an alternative position within the Group.

“At the present time Dawn Sweeney is absent from the business and during her absence all executives in Wilfred Edmunds will report to John Bills. We anticipate that this consultation process will be complete by 9 December.”

Ms Sweeney had been overseeing the recruitment of a group editor for Wilfred Edmunds/North Notts Newspapers to succeed Nicola Megson, who steps down at the end of next week.

The company statement added: “The ongoing recruitment process for the replacement of Nicola Megson is unaffected by these proposed changes.”

Nicola’s successor as group editor will also take over the day-to-day editorship of the Derbyshire Times.

Other titles in the Wilfred Edmunds/North Notts division include the Matlock Mercury, Buxton Advertiser, Ripley and Heanor News, Mansfield Chad and Hucknall Despatch.