THIRTY-nine year old Councillor Simon Geraghty is the new leader of Worcestershire County Council after being elected at a meeting of the full council last week.
Coun Geraghty, (Con, Riverside Worcs) is the youngest leader in the authority’s history and the youngest County Council Leader in the country.
Coun Geraghty, started his involvement in local politics aged just 23 when elected to the City Council and for the past five years he has been the county’s deputy leader and the cabinet member responsible for Economy, Skills and Infrastructure.
He has been the driving force behind the Council’s Open for Business Priority and creation of key economic development sites across Worcestershire. Combined, these initiatives will lead to the creation of more than 16,000 new jobs for the county.
He said: “It is both an honour and a privilege to become the new leader of Worcestershire County Council. I have been part of a leadership team that has achieved a great deal in recent years – not just reforming services and balancing the books but setting out a clear plan to take our county forward.”
The new deputy leader is Coun Anthony Blagg (Con, B’grove Central) who is also cabinet members with responsibility for the environment.
Coun Geraghty’s elevation follows the resignation of Coun Adrian Hardman as leader after he was caught drink driving by police just before Christmas.
