A newly wed Birmingham councillor has launched a leadership bid from his honeymoon in Malta.
Labour member for Brandwood Barry Henley is the third candidate to have declared himself standing in the election to succeed Sir Albert Bore following his resignation last week.
He previously stood for deputy leader in a joint campaign with John Clancy who is now one of his rivals for the leadership alongside the city council's incumbent deputy leader Ian Ward.
Another councillor, Majid Mahmood who represents the Hodge Hill ward, yesterday ruled himself out.
Coun Henley and his wife Beryl married in Birmingham on Sunday before heading off to Malta.
He sent an email to colleagues announcing his candidacy.
A vastly experienced senior manager, including finance chairman for the NHS in Birmingham and Solihull, Coun Henley is promising competence in guiding the city council through its current crisis.
He has also been chairman of the council's IT contractor Service Birmingham while it delivers cost savings.
In a no-holds-barred pitch to his fellow councillors, he said: "I stood for deputy leader twice and promised you competent management of the council.
"You also know that I have been publicly loyal to Sir Albert and Ian (Ward) while trying to correct their errors which include mishandling of council structure, strategy and management, and failure to hold the last two chief executives to account for efficient, effective administration."
He pledges to run an efficient council, make changes quickly, reduce the massive equal pay debt and to "live within our means while providing high quality services".
He added: "The importance of competent management to you is that it serves the people you represent better than the shambles they have had to put up with on equal pay, housing stock transfer and endless promises of improvement in children's services that never seem to be true."
And he warns colleagues the council faces direct government intervention if the current situation does not improve.
"Birmingham does not need another council leader like Coun (Mike) Whitby or Coun Sir Albert Bore whose self belief led them to ignore the contribution others could make and to make the mistakes that Kerslake identified," the email concluded.
