UPDATED 2.45PM

THE chief executive of Worcestershire County Council is to quit, it emerged today.

Clare Marchant is leaving her £155,000-a-year job in June after landing a role running university admissions service UCAS.

The announcement, which stunned politicians today, means more significant change will be needed at County Hall after May's elections.

It comes at a time when three cabinet members are quitting next month.

Ms Marchant joined the authority in 2010 as 'head of change' and was swiftly promoted up the ladder, becoming assistant chief executive in 2012 before landing the top job in February 2014.

Her looming departure comes at a time when children's services is battling to improve after being graded as inadequate by Ofsted in January.

The council is also having to make around £29 million in savings on top of several years of huge spending reductions which have topped £100 million since 2012.

County Hall's political parties have paid tribute her time in office, saying she had helped grow the economy despite massive financial challenges.

Ms Marchant will oversee May's crunch elections, with all 57 seats up for grabs, and then spend several more weeks in charge before departing at the end of June.

A letter on her impending departure, seen by this newspaper, states:

"I am writing to inform you that after seven years at Worcestershire County Council, I will be leaving to take up the position of chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, UCAS.

"I leave Worcestershire County Council in the hands of a brilliant team.

"Worcestershire is a council I have been proud to lead and I will miss those staff whom I have had the pleasure of working with and leading in our daily endeavour to do the best for our residents.

"In recent years we have benefited from over £100 million of infrastructure investment.

"We have the fastest growing economy in England, significant innovation in our work with partners such as West Mercia Police, district councils and our health colleagues.

"Together we have established a track record in delivering commercial and digital change on behalf of residents.

"I am sad to be leaving but I am looking forward to a new challenge and the opportunity of leading UCAS for the benefit of young people, working with education providers to ensure participation is widened, retention and satisfaction maximised and that the experience enriches and enables our young people to achieve their potential and make the best contribution to society and our economy they can.

"After a wonderful seven years I do wish my brilliant team and all who work for the residents of Worcestershire all the best in the future."

The move was broken to staff in an email at 10.45am this morning, as well as some senior councillors.

Conservative Councillor Simon Geraghty, the leader, said: "I have worked closely with Clare for a number of years, she has done an excellent job in a very challenging set of circumstances.

"She has helped deliver real reform at good value for money, and helped drive the council forward with a very ambitious agenda.

"She's been at the forefront of the changes that we needed, but also she's taken on my agenda in terms of growing the local economy and helping it expand.

"There have been challenging times, but Clare has done very well and I think most people would say that, both in the business community and within the 'local government family'.

"I wish her well and congratulate her for getting a top national post."

Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, said: "Nothing surprises me at the county council."

Councillor Matt Jenkins, from Worcester Green Party, said: "I'm a bit surprised - as far as I saw she was competent and knowledgeable, she did ok given the financial restraints.

"The concern for me is that we've got three cabinet members leaving after the elections, and now the chief executive - it's more big change at the top.

"My feeling is that with so many cuts having to be made over the last five or six years we're now scraping the bottom of a barrel, is the job as appetising?"

Lib Dem group leader Councillor Liz Tucker said: "It's certainly come as a surprise, I am very sorry to hear it.

"Clare has been a breath of fresh air for Worcestershire, I've enjoyed her enthusiasm and her general approach.

"There is so much going on, what with a number of cabinet members going, the elections, trying to get children's services up to speed, the funding constraints.

"But then you can't blame someone for following a career path."

Ms Marchant, who took over from Trish Haines as County Hall chief executive, will not have long to travel in her new job.

UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) is based in Cheltenham and operates the applications process for all of Britain's universities.

It handles more than four million applications a year, with current chief executive Mary Curnock Cook, who joined the body in January 2010, leaving.

See the Worcester News tomorrow for more on this story.