The influence of magnetic ion doping on the interplay of the lattice with magnetic phase separation in the LaCo 1−y B y O 3 ͑B=Ni or Fe, y = 0.1, 0.4͒ class of cobalites has been investigated via neutron-scattering techniques. The substitution of either Ni 3+ ͑3d 7 ͒ or Fe 3+ ͑3d 5 ͒ does not alter the crystal symmetry which remains rhombohedral, R3c, at all temperatures. With doping, the degree of cooperative octahedral rotations about the ͑111͒ axis increases, but it is only with Ni that such a rotation is accompanied by a compression along the trigonal axis. The observed crystal distortion is invoked to break the degeneracy of the magnetic Co 3+ ions while maintaining the Co-O bonds at a constant length. This is distinctly different from the changes observed with hole doping. The absence of two distinct types of Co-O bond lengths in the local structure with the substitution of Fe 3+ or Ni 3+ for Co 3+ ͑3d 6 ͒ is indicative that, unlike in the hole-doped cobaltites with Ba 2+ or Sr 2+ previously studied, the intermediate-spin state of Co is either absent or suppressed. This leaves us to question the origin of the magnetic interactions, which most likely arises from a high-spin state of the Co ion. However, the absence of an antiferromagnetic signal originating from Co suggests that the interaction is not simply superexchange in nature.