A Biddulph town and district councillor has revealed today that she will not be standing to retain her seat on the two councils in the elections next year.

Cllr Jill Salt, who represents the Biddulph East ward for the Labour Party on Biddulph Town Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, said she made the decision in order to maintain a better work/life balance.

Cllr Salt announced her decision not to stand in the next elections following the removal of the Biddulph miners' lamps from the St John's Road roundabout, however she explained that she had been considering her decision for around a year, and that it was not connected to the mining lamps.

She told Nub News: "My decision not to stand has been around 12 months in the making, so not really a reflection of the mining lamp issue; just to get a decent work life balance."

Cllr Salt, who works as a teacher and will have sat on Biddulph Town Council for eight years and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council for four years by the time of the election, explained more about her decision not to stand on social media.

Despite not standing herself she also encouraged others to stand for election if they feel they can make a difference in the local area.

She said: "I won't be standing for election again in 2023.

"I will have given eight years of service to Biddulph Town Council as a volunteer (your town councillors do not get paid) and I will have given 4 years to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council where we are paid £200 a month.

"I am retiring for several reasons; to maintain a decent work/life/family balance, to focus on my actual job as a teacher, and to remove myself from the slanderous and hurtful comments on social media for trying my best.

"I would encourage any one of you to stand for election if you feel you can make a difference and I'd certainly implore you to vote if you're not able to do that!"