TRIBUTES have been paid to the departed leader of Worcester City Council - with fellow politicians speaking of his "huge" legacy.

Councillor Simon Geraghty made his resignation official last Friday after running the Guildhall for nine of the last 10 years.

The Conservative has now taken over at Worcestershire County Council, and said he did not want to do both jobs at once.

During the first city council cabinet meeting since his departure last night, fellow Tory Councillor Marc Bayliss, who is now the 'acting leader', lauded his efforts.

It comes as the leadership insisted the city council's finances are in the best shape of any local authority in Worcestershire, saying that position is largely down to Councillor Geraghty's stewardship.

Councillor Bayliss said: "He has been the leader of the Conservative group for 10 years and led this council for nine, so I didn't want this meeting to pass by without saying something.

"Undoubtedly, he has left the city in a stronger, more vibrant, more forward-thinking place.

"Looking back, he has a huge record of achievement - from the riverside to the Hive, the strongest performing retail centre around the region, the best finances of all the district councils in this county.

"And he's achieved all of that with a very low rate of council tax, mainly consisting of freezes - it's been a pleasure to have worked with him."

Fellow members of the administration also offered up tributes, saying the current finances are a legacy of his time in office.

Councillor Chris Mitchell, the cabinet member responsible for finance, said: "We have the best, most positive finances of any district council in this county.

"We are in a good place, and much of that is down to a decade's leadership from Simon Geraghty."

The cabinet agreed to send the 2016/17 budget to a final vote at full council later this month.

As we first revealed in December it includes a record £11 million capital investment plan including £100,000 into playgrounds, £250,000 towards Gheluvelt Park, £500,000 of 'public realm' improvements and £439,000 into transforming Diglis.

Some £20,000 into replacing street name plates, £240,000 towards transforming the Commandery and £8 million for the city's eight-lane swimming pool in Perdiswell are also included.

A council tax rise of nearly two per cent is planned, which would add around £3.21 a year to the average band D property because the authority only controls just 11 per cent of the bill.

Car parking charges are being frozen as part of the budget, which includes £10.2 million of day-to-day spending.

Councillor Geraghty will remain a backbencher at the city council, in the St Clement ward.

Councillor Bayliss will officially become the new leader of the city council on Tuesday, February 23 - on the same evening the 2016/17 budget will be voted on.

Despite the city's record capital investment plan, the main Revenue Support Grant from central Government is being slashed 35 per cent.

* Car parking charges frozen, £11m of new investment but council tax could rise - Worcester City Council 2016/17 unveils budget proposals

* Record £11m investment in Worcester a step closer as city's Conservative leadership backs new budget

* Shock as funding to Worcester City Council is slashed a record 35% by the Government