THE new-look Conservative cabinet has been unveiled at Worcestershire County Council today - with the leader opting to increase it in size.

Councillor Simon Geraghty has decided to trigger a major-shake up of his Tory administration, going with 10 cabinet members instead of nine.

During today's full council meeting:

- Tory Councillor Alan Amos was made cabinet member for highways, earning his first promotion to the top table

- Councillor Adrian Hardman made a return to the cabinet following his drink-drive charge, becoming new deputy leader

- Former County Hall chairman Councillor Tony Miller was made cabinet member for the environment

- The old 'children and families' role was split into two, with Councillor Andy Roberts given the all-important task of looking after children's social care and Councillor Marcus Hart handed responsibility for education

- Veteran Labour politician Councillor Richard Udall suffered a blow after losing his role running County Hall's powerful scrutiny board

Before May's local election three previous cabinet members had quit County Hall, giving Cllr Geraghty a big job to overhaul his leadership team.

Cllr Robert's new job means he is moved across from his old position where he had responsibility for the workforce.

Dudley News:

Under the new, enlarged cabinet the vastly-experienced Councillor Hardman, who sensationally quit as leader after being charged with drink driving in December 2015, will have responsibility for adult social care.

Dudley News:

Cllr Amos was handed his role looking after highways despite his past as a Labour politician at County Hall, before he quit the party in 2014.

Dudley News:

And the move to split the roles for children's services comes after County Hall's child protection was graded 'inadequate' by Ofsted in a scathing verdict.

In other changes, the role of cabinet member for 'transformation and commissioning' went to Councillor Karen May, a Tory who was elected for the first time three weeks ago.

The other jobs stay broadly the same, with Lucy Hodgson still cabinet member for communities and Ken Pollock retaining his role as cabinet member for economy and infrastructure.

Elsewhere, Councillor John Smith retained his position as cabinet member for health and well-being.

All the cabinet roles come with extra top-ups of £16,499, as well as the scrutiny board chairmanship.

Cllr Geraghty was also re-elected leader today, with his party now holding 40 of County Hall's 57 seats.

He said: "I would like to thank the members of the council for re-electing me as leader.

Dudley News:

"In selecting my new cabinet I was keen to have a team that combines experience with some fresh ideas - I believe this team does exactly that."

The key role chairing the overview and scrutiny performance board (OSPB), which holds the Tory leadership to account, will be held by Labour Councillor Chris Bloore instead of Cllr Udall.

In other changes, Tory Councillor Anne Hingley is the new County Hall chairman, a top civic role, while Conservative Councillor Paul Tuthill is now in charge of the health, overview and scrutiny committee, which probes issues like the NHS.

And Lib Dem Councillor Fran Oborski was handed another big task, running the children and families scrutiny panel.