A WORCESTER councillor is to stand down next year - after revealing how getting involved in politics has cost him £60,000.

Councillor Richard Boorn, who was part of Worcester City Council's old Labour administration in 2013-14, is quitting at next year's elections.

The 55-year-old father-of-four was elected to the Nunnery ward for the first time in 2012 with a sizeable 457 majority.

He rose through the Labour ranks quickly and became the city's cabinet member for finance for a year when his party were in power.

The businessman, who lives in Claines, runs his own company called Bondtech Limited, which sells products that bond together things like caravans, boats and electronics.

Your Worcester News can reveal how he decided to end a lucrative consultancy contract in America last year due to his commitments as a councillor.

His decision to step down is partly motivated by health reasons, with Councillor Boorn suffering two heart attacks since being elected.

He has not ruled out returning in some sort of capacity at the Guildhall in the future.

"Being a councillor is a bit Jekyll and Hyde, it's very rewarding but also frustrating because often you're unable to do what your constituents want," he said.

"If you're not in power you can't always do what you want to help them, but ultimately we work in a democracy.

"I like politics and the role of being a councillor but over the last 12 months I have felt the strain - I'll still be involved in the Labour Party though.

"My business is expanding, I've got more work and I can't do all day and all night, plus I'd already taken the decision to reduce my work to continue with the council stuff, but that's cost me sixty grand.

"I'd only ever want to carry on being a councillor if I could give it my full attention."

He added that it was "not a goodbye, more a 'see you later'", saying he would not be prepared to rule out a comeback in the future.

Councillor Boorn hit the headlines back in January after being in an angry altercation with a Conservative Party election agent, Will Pryce, during a row at Cripplegate Park which led to the police being contacted.

But no action was ever taken after My Pryce, who managed city MP Robin Walker's election campaign, dropped his complaint.

The Labour figure has become known for a hard stance on congestion and planning issues in the city, being highly critical of over-development and the city's inadequate roads structure.

He has also been the Labour group's finance spokesman on the city council throughout his tenure on the opposition benches.