THE leader of Worcester's Conservatives is quitting Worcestershire County Council at May's elections, it has emerged.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, the cabinet member for children and families, is stepping down at County Hall after finding it "impossible" to do the job while running a business.

The top politician's role is one of the most demanding in Worcestershire and is widely considered full-time, carrying serious pressure from Ofsted.

But Cllr Bayliss runs his own research company and has found it incompatible with the demands at County Hall, particularly as all the meetings take place during daytimes.

Rather than step down from the county council's cabinet and remain a backbencher, he says he would rather quit altogether.

It means former policeman Steve Mackay will be the Tory candidate in the St Peter's division at May's elections.

Cllr Bayliss will remain a city councillor, where he is the leader of Worcester's Conservative group.

He is expected to become the Guildhall's deputy leader in May - or even its leader - under the new cross-party committee system.

He said: "I have come to this decision reluctantly, because I have loved being a county councillor and being in the cabinet.

"But I need to focus on my business, I don't want my county council role to be a 'bad job' - children's services requires someone to be full-time.

Malvern Gazette:

"I could have stepped down from the cabinet and remained a councillor, but I'd only want to stay if I could make a difference and be 100 per cent involved.

"If I stood again and was re-elected I'd have to commit to the county for four years and at this point in time I can't do that."

The move has stunned other politicians across Worcestershire, with Cllr Bayliss elected to County Hall for the first time in 2013 before he was swiftly promoted to the top table.

In January Ofsted inspectors graded Worcestershire's children's services as 'inadequate' but he had only been in charge for eight months, having served as cabinet member for commissioning prior to that.

The children and families brief also covers crucial issues like schools, education policy, children's centres, transport to sixth form sites, foster care and a whole host of other key service areas.

His decision will give Tory leader Councillor Simon Geraghty a headache, with at least three of his current cabinet members now departing in May.

Councillor Anthony Blagg, who holds the environment role and wife Councillor Sheila Blagg, cabinet member for adult social care, are also stepping down.