THE new top boss at Worcester City Council has got her feet under the table - starting work in her plum role.

Sheena Ramsey has officially started her new £105,000-a-year job as managing director today, insisting she is up for the "tough "challenge that lies ahead.

Ms Ramsey, who quit Knowsley Council near Liverpool after nine years in the position last October, arrived at her desk in the authority's new HQ inside the old library in Foregate Street this morning.

She arrives at a time when the city council is under unprecedented pressure to make savings, looking to claw back £2.7 million from spending by 2020.

Last week the Conservative leadership agreed a strategy to outsource bin collections, parks maintenance and street sweeping to the private sector within two years - with Ms Ramsey today taking the step of saying "more change" will be on the way.

The council employs around 300 people but that will reduce to around 189 once most of its cleaner and greener department is outsourced.

Ms Ramsey said: "Worcester City Council has a vital role to play in forging an exciting future for this vibrant city, and I am looking forward to working with our dedicated staff to make the vision of the new corporate plan a reality.

"The next few years will be a challenging time for the council, as we work to find savings of £2.7m by 2020.

"The cabinet has already agreed to outsource some of our key services and more change is in the pipeline as we move to our new focus of being an enabling council.

"It is going to be tough, managing these changes while also delivering the vision for a more prosperous and successful Worcester.

"But I know our staff are up for the challenge and I am too."

While up in Merseyside, she gained a reputation for successfully attracting waves of private sector investment and linking up with training providers to boost employment.

She also helped lead the creation of a new 'City Region' combined authority in Liverpool, and stepped down last October after plans to axe 200 jobs were announced.

As we revealed in June, when she was appointed she beat off 40 other candidates to land the Guildhall job.