TWO county cabinet members from Bromsgrove have announced they will be standing down at the May elections.

Councillor Anthony Blagg was first elected to County Hall as a local member for Bromsgrove Central 12 years ago, and has since risen to become deputy leader - one of the council's top positions.

Cllr Blagg and his wife Cllr Sheila Blagg, also part of the Conservative leadership, are retiring and relocating to the north of England near Hadrian's wall.

Their looming departures are a blow to leader Cllr Simon Geraghty, who will have to find two new faces in his decision-making cabinet if his party still holds its grip on power after the forthcoming election.

The duo have over 80 years' experience between them in local government and had become two of the most recognisable faces at County Hall.

Cllr Anthony Blagg is cabinet member for environment and has led the way in slashing CO2 emissions and getting the authority 'greener', as well as pushing through better flooding protection.

He approved the opening of the big recycling plant at Norton in 2009 and, during his time in office, had to overcome bitter public opposition to push through the £120 million Hartlebury incinerator, which is opening this spring after three years of construction work.

He became deputy leader in January last year as part of a new leadership team, in a shake-up triggered by the resignation of Adrian Hardman who quit as leader after being charged with drink-driving.

Cllr Blagg's wife Sheila was the last chairman of the old West Mercia Police Authority before it was disbanded and replaced by an elected Police and Crime Commissioner. She is now cabinet member for adult social care at the council.

Cllr Anthony Blagg, a small businesses adviser, topiary expert and web designer in his spare time, said they wanted to pursue other interests.

"I've worked in local government for over 40 years and been a councillor for 14 of them," he said.

"But it's now time to pursue my other interests in history and heritage while I hope there is still some time left."

He told the Bromsgrove Advertiser he was "honoured" to win a national award in 2011 as the UK's ‘Councillor of the Year' for sustainability, and said he felt the recycling system in Worcestershire has been "great success".

Two new Tory candidates will contest their County Hall seats, in Bromsgrove Central and Woodvale respectively, this May.

Cllr Geraghty said: "I accept their reasons, if they stood for re-election they would have done so in the knowledge you serve a four-year term, and there comes a time in anyone’s life where you reflect on things and have to decide on the future.

“I’d like to pay tribute to their hard work and dedication, they’ve done a sterling job for Worcestershire, both for the county council and the wider community.

“They will be missed by all sides of the political spectrum as two very dignified and hardworking councillors.

“I worked exceptionally closely with Anthony as my deputy and a key part of the council’s leadership, and with Sheila she had one of the most demanding cabinet roles, adult care needs a great deal of time and attention and that’s what she gave it.”

By Tom Edwards