ONE of the potential new leaders of the council has said he is not afraid of ‘upsetting a few people’ if it means improving the city.

Tory deputy leader Cllr Chris Mitchell is preparing to make the jump and take over the reins at the Guildhall replacing on-off leader Cllr Marc Bayliss who is stepping down from the top job after securing a role as deputy police and crime commissioner for West Mercia.

Cllr Mitchell, who has represented the city’s St Clement ward since 2011 alongside stints as chairman of the council’s planning committee, has vowed to ‘do things differently’ if he takes on the job by focusing more on improving the city and ‘less on furthering his political career.’

Cllr Bayliss is expected to step down ‘before the end of the year.’

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“It has been a real privilege being deputy leader and I have learnt a lot from Marc [Bayliss], and also Simon [Geraghty], but I’m a different person,” Cllr Mitchell said.

“I think I am probably less political. I am very much output focused. I’ve got no intention of going to Westminster.

“If this all ended at the next election for me then, yes, I would be disappointed, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

“I think some councillors are more focused on their political careers than I am. I’m willing to upset a few people. I’m happy to be less popular if it means getting better and getting things done.”

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City councillors narrowly voted to have joint leaders following May’s local elections – during which the Conservatives lost its one-seat majority and overall control of the Guildhall after just a year – but with Labour refusing to take part, Cllr Bayliss has stood as the sole ‘joint’ leader since.

Cllr Mitchell also said he thinks the city council needs to be “more entrepreneurial” and pointed to Worcester’s underutilised riverside as the greatest example of the city not making the most of potential money-makers.

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“I believe that there are so many opportunities around the city to generate income without it needing to come from central government and that is what I want to see more of,” he said. “We need to be more entrepreneurial.

“There’s a lot of ‘testing the water’ [at the council] and I think we need to make the jump now and I am willing to do that.”

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Cllr Mitchell said, if appointed, his biggest priority remains making sure the multi-million-pound Angel Place renovation, which includes the new Scala Theatre, is delivered “on time and on budget.”

“We don’t have the greatest track record on that,” he admitted.

“I am really invested in making people’s lives who live in the city better. That isn’t going to mean tax breaks for everyone, and I can’t lower people’s mortgage payments, but I can ensure that the streets are clean, people feel safe and secure, and the town centre is thriving.

“If we get the basic rights then we can work on the other stuff.”