THE deputy leader of Worcestershire County Council has called for a "step change" in ambition - saying more major firms should relocate here.

Councillor Simon Geraghty says the county faces missing out to other parts of the UK and even other nations unless decision-makers shout more loudly about Worcestershire's potential.

As your Worcester News revealed in March, the county's economy has been the third fastest growing in the country over a five-year period, with only London and Oxfordshire faring better.

But despite that rapid growth, wages in the county have remained relatively suppressed and people born in neighbouring Warwickshire can expect to earn £140,000 more than their Worcestershire counterparts over a lifetime.

The difference is worth an extra £3,111 for every year of a person's working life, assuming they are employed for at least 45 years.

Councillor Geraghty, the cabinet member for economy, skills and infrastructure, has just produced a new eight-page report detailing his department's efforts over the last 12 months.

It highlights successes like the expected development of a new £22 million Worcestershire Parkway rail station, the £40 million A4440 Southern Link Road revamp and the project to bring superfast broadband to 95 per cent of the county by 2018.

Cllr Geraghty says the next step is to focus on gaining ground on Worcestershire's rivals for job creation.

"Our job is to attract inward investment and we're in a competitive environment whether it's regional, national or international," he said.

"I do want to see firms relocating to Worcestershire, if we don't get out and shout about what a fantastic place Worcestershire is nobody else will and we will lose out to other places, that's the fundamental challenge we face, we need a step change."

Speaking during a full council meeting, he also said the most challenging aspect of his work right now is making sure everything is delivered "on time and on budget".

That includes the Hoo Brook Link Road in Kidderminster, where work is expected to finish by the summer of 2016 and railway improvements at Bromsgrove and Kidderminster, on top of the broadband work work and A4440.

The A4440 link work is not due to finish until the summer of 2018, with the £8 million Ketch island enlargement nearly complete.