A NEW leader-in-waiting of Worcester City Council can be revealed - with Conservative Marc Bayliss on the verge of landing the big role.

The city's Conservative group has officially selected him as its new leader, paving the way for him to take over at the Guildhall in less than three weeks.

And your Worcester News can reveal how Councillor Chris Mitchell - a former British Army major for 20 years - will be his deputy leader in a dramatic shake-up.

Ever since Councillor Simon Geraghty became the new Worcestershire County Council leader last month, he has pledged to quit his Guildhall position to focus on the big job.

Councillor Bayliss' rise will be confirmed at the next full meeting on Tuesday, February 23 - making him just the fourth Tory to lead the city council this century.

He said: "I'm very happy to win the support of my colleagues and look forward to hopefully assuming the role at the end of February.

"I know there's a lot of work to be done but am keen to take the city forward, I was very proud to have been Simon's deputy."

One extra cabinet member will be appointed later this month to replace Councillor Geraghty, who is quitting the city council's Tory leadership altogether to concentrate on County Hall.

Councillor Bayliss added: "I will take my time to decide how best to organise it, I want to talk to my other cabinet colleagues about it but the other members will all be staying."

Remarkably, just over five years ago Councillor Bayliss was seen as one of the top figures within Worcester Labour Party, but quit following a row about the use of all-women's shortlists which saw Joy Squires selected as its parliamentary candidate.

He had previously tried to become a Labour MP in the Wyre Forest, back in 2005, and polled 10,716 votes to finish third in an era when the constituency was dominated by Dr Richard Taylor's Health Concern group.

In March 2011, two months after walking away from Worcester's Labour group, he joined the Conservatives and was moved from the Arboretum ward to contest the safer Tory seat of Bedwardine at the elections.

He has since been highly critical of Labour's economic credibility, including its role in the Great Recession of 2008, and has referred to the principle of all-women's shortlists as "the last straw" for switching sides.

An economist by trade, he runs a research business in the city and is also a county councillor, where he sits in the cabinet, and former Warndon parish councillor until very recently.

Councillor Adrian Gregson, Labour group leader, said: "On the face of it nothing has changed, they will still pursue the same dogged agenda they always have.

"To be honest Bayliss has been the power behind the current leader for some time."

But several city Tories have hailed Councillor Bayliss' rise, saying he has their confidence - with many pointing to his long CV.

He became deputy leader of the city's Tory group in 2012, taking that position over from Councillor Roger Knight, the current mayor.

Councillor Andy Roberts said: "He's a very strong minded person, he's very politically able and has shown he's got his heart in the local community from being a parish councillor."

Fellow Tory Councillor Alan Amos said: "Marc will be an absolutely superb leader for the city.

"To do the role as leader you've got to know a lot about many different things, and he has a great deal of knowledge about all sorts of areas, he'll be great."