WORCESTERSHIRE'S new county council chief executive has started in her new job this week.

Clare Marchant was officially appointed in February but started in the top job as of Monday, June 2.

Before she took on the new role, Ms Marchant was first the assistant chief executive and prepared to take over control by working closely with the outgoing chief executive, Trish Haines.

At the end of her first day in the job, Ms Marchant said: "It is an honour and a privilege to serve in this role and I look forward to serving local people, businesses and communities.

"I intend to work alongside Adrian [Hardman, the current Worcestershire County Council leader] and all councillors and staff to continue to find ways to engage with the people and businesses of Worcestershire, to listen to them to ensure we shape services that are fit the future and reflect the priorities local people have said are important to them.

"I have said it before, but I would like to pay tribute to Trish. Over the last few weeks we have worked closely for an effective handover. I am now looking forward to the challenges ahead and working to ensure a prosperous Worcestershire."

Previous to joining the council in 2010, Ms Marchant was a group programme director with the NHS, and also worked as a production manager at Rank Hovis where she spent six years advising both private and public sector bodies on how to modernise.

She said she was going into the role with her "eyes wide open" and has already outlined a new vision for the council which would see employees be sent into private firms to find out about profit and loss in an attempt to make the council thought about more commercially.

Those wanting to keep up to date with news, can follow Ms Marchant on Twitter at Twitter Handle @ClareWorcs, where she will post her thoughts and comments throughout the day.