The leader of Wirral Labour group has announced his resignation.

Councillor Steve Foulkes said that after very careful consideration, he has decided to stand down.

Councillor Foulkes cited long working hours and constant stress taking its toll on family life, his career and his health as contributing to his decision.

He also took a swipe at council Conservatives who, he said, have subscribed to an Americanised philosophy of constant negative publicity - leading to "poisonous politics."

His deupty, Cllr Phil Davies, has been unanimously voted in as his successor.

Councillor Foulkes said: "This has not been an easy decision for me to take, but I believe it is the right one.

"I have spent 11 of the last 12 years as leader of Wirral Council.

"By any measure, that is a long time in office.

"The long working hours, combining a full-time job with the many demands of being leader, and the constant stress, have taken their toll on my family life, my health and my work.

"I have reluctantly reached the conclusion that the demands of the job as council leader today require a full-time leader who does not have any other employment.

"I work for Unilever and I am very grateful to them for their generosity in the time they have allowed me to carry out my council duties.

"But I recognise that pressures in the private sector are also increasing in these difficult times.

"I enjoy my job and I want to continue working there so I believe it is time for me to stand down and let someone else take over."

He said Cllr Davies is prepared to do the job full-time and "has been a very able deputy and will make an excellent new leader for Labour."

Councillor Foulkes continued: "He has the full confidence of the Labour group who have unanimously endorsed him as my successor.

"I am, by modern day standards, an old-fashioned politician.

"I believe that the good of the Wirral, and the good of the council, come first and political ambitions come second.

"I find it impossible to subscribe to the notions crossing the Atlantic that constant negative publicity either wins votes or makes the opposition voters stay home and fail to vote.

"These notions are increasingly popular with the Conservative party locally and, I believe, have led to the kind of poisonous politics we are seeing now which I believe are damaging to all politicians, and to the people we are elected to serve.

"The real danger is that constant negative publicity about Wirral, generated for political ends, will make potential investors stay away.

"This borough needs jobs, and I am proud of my record in working to bring those jobs into the borough. In the last decade I have overseen a whole host of new developments aimed at boosting Wirral’s job market."

Ther achievements of Councillor Foulkes, who represents Claughton ward, include the arrival of the Roll-On-Roll-Off Ferry in Birkenhead, the Neptune Development in New Brighton, Wirral Waters £4.5bn regeneration project, helping ensure the arrival of Asda in Birkenhead, the creation of the Wirral Apprentice Programme, job opportunities created for the long-term unemployed and the launch of Wirral's International Trade Centre scheme, which ultimately could provide upwards of 30,000 jobs.

He said: "None of these are 'quick' political fixes. They have all taken time and patience and long lead ins to achieve a result.

"You have to be patient in politics. It’s the long game that matters. The short game often gets the publicity, but it’s the long game that bears results.

"I have also overseen the creation of 19 new Children’s Centres, the building of a brand new secondary school and the total refurbishment of eight other secondary schools, as well as the building of three brand new primary schools.

"And I have been responsible, through careful financial management, for driving Council Tax levels down.

"When I first took over as leader of the council, Wirral had the third highest council tax in England. Today, Wirral is at the bottom of the council tax league rather than the top.

"And, under my leadership, the Open Golf returned to Wirral.

"These are real, solid achievements. Everyone likes to leave a legacy behind them, and I hope in the future these will be assessed as part of my legacy."

New Labour group leader Cllr Davies said: “We face a time of unprecedented challenges ahead.

"There is a great deal of work ahead and, as the new Labour leader, I am anxious to get to grips with them as soon as possible, building on the progress that has been made over the last decade.

"I hope that I will be able to do so with the same authority, wit and good humour, shown by Steve Foulkes throughout his leadership.

"He will be a hard act to follow.”