LABOUR Councillor Amy Trevethan has stood down.

The Underhill ward representative was elected in May 2014 and has sat alongside Cllr Paul Edwards and Cllr Tim Roberts.

She is leaving because she has taken up a job at the University of Cambridge.

She stood to be MP in the Tory-stronghold of Chipping Barnet last year where she gained over 18,000 votes.

But unsurprisingly, she was beaten by incumbent Theresa Villiers, who has held the seat for nine years.

Ms Trevethan said: “I have particularly enjoyed meeting so many local people, and securing a beneficial result for those who have approached me with a problem.

"Equally, I am mindful of the challenges that local authorities are facing in preserving the democratic link between local residents and their council.

"It has been my personal experience that the mass outsourcing of council functions and the curtailment of the scope of council services, for example in order to meet budget gaps, have regrettably made preserving this connection more difficult.

"I have taken up a job at the University of Cambridge and have moved to the city. I am therefore standing down, in order to allow Underhill residents to elect a ward councillor who is able to devote more time to being a councillor in Barnet.

"I will certainly miss representing Underhill ward and would like to pass on my warmest wishes to everyone in the local community."

Residents in Underhill Ward will now vote in a Barnet Council by-election following Ms Trevethan’s resignation.

Voting will take place on Thursday May 5, to coincide with Mayor of London and London Assembly elections, with the count also taking place on Friday 6 May at Alexandra Palace.

The notice of election was published on March 30 and nomination papers of candidates must reach the council no later than 4pm on Thursday April 7.

Applications to register to vote must be made by Monday 18 April 2016. Register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote