The chief executive of Creative Scotland, Janet Archer, is leaving her post following a string of controversies over funding decisions.

Ms Archer is leaving her role after five years, the last of which has been highly controversial.

Creative Scotland has been embroiled in a series of rows this year after its regular funding decisions, which included cutting funding from several theatre companies, led to uproar in the arts world.

The RFO decisions led to board resignations, a Scottish Parliament committee hearing, and a promise by the arts funding body to reform its funding processes.

Robert Wilson, the new chair of Creative Scotland said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Janet for everything she has achieved over the past five years and the important contribution she has made to Creative Scotland, to the arts, screen and creative industries and to public life in Scotland more broadly. We wish her every success for the future.”

She is to receive six months of her annual salary, which is between £115,000 and £120,000, in lieu of her notice period.

Iain Munro will now become acting chief executive.

There is unlikely to be a rapid search for Ms Archer's replacement, it is understood.

Ms Archer said: “It has been an honour to work closely with, and to serve Scotland’s artists and creative communities over the past five years in my role as Chief Executive of Creative Scotland, and to help many thousands of people produce and share work.

“Over the past five years, we have supported artistic excellence, and equalities, diversity and inclusion.

"We accelerated our work for young people and supported creative projects in all of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas. We have also enhanced international support across artforms, especially for screen."

She added: “I’m pleased that in a difficult public financial context, Creative Scotland managed to work closely with the Scottish Government to secure an additional £19.8m funding for 2018-21 for Regularly Funded Organisations to replace the unexpected steep downturn in National Lottery Funding, as well as an additional £10m annual support for Screen.

“I’m especially proud of the relationships we’ve established with partners to deliver shared plans and increase impact and would like to thank everyone for their commitment to working with us.

"I know that Creative Scotland’s brilliant and dedicated staff will take the organisation forwards positively and continue to realise opportunity wherever possible."

“I would particularly like to thank the Cabinet Secretary, Fiona Hyslop for her support over my tenure and her committed and steadfast determination to position culture at the heart of Government policy.”