A York councillor is resigning, five years after first being elected.
Liberal Democrat Ed Pearson has represented Haxby and Wigginton ward since 2019.
His resignation triggers a by-election, expected to be held in early December.
Cllr Pearson said he was stepping down because of work commitments, to spend more time with his family and to focus on his health and wellbeing.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a ward councillor in this wonderful city I call home, representing the residents of Haxby and Wigginton as best I could for the past five and a half years,” he said.
“However, I have increasingly struggled to balance this important and time-consuming role with the simultaneous pressures of my railway career and my family to the detriment of a healthy lifestyle.
“I have therefore made the difficult decision to stand down.”
He said the past five years had been challenging, with the Lib Dems running the council in coalition with the Greens during the pandemic.
Highlights of his time as a councillor included the opening of a new library in his ward as well as better Christmas lights.
“I am so proud and pleased of the significant progress we have made on the Haxby Station project,” he added. “And despite recent set-backs I remain optimistic that we will soon see trains calling at a re-opened Haxby Station!”
Cllr Pearson is staying on as a councillor for Haxby Town Council.
York Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Nigel Ayre said: “It has been a pleasure working with Ed on the council for the past five years and I know that this has been a very difficult decision for him to take.
“I’d like to thank Ed for the contribution he has made to the Haxby & Wigginton community where he lives, and I know that in his role as a Haxby Town Councillor he will continue to serve local residents.”
City of York Council is now drawing up plans for the by-election. Mr Pearson won 2,056 votes out of a total of 10,838 cast across all three seats in Haxby and Wigginton in the May 2023 election.
Cllr Ayre said: “I ask local residents to again put their trust in the Lib Dems in this upcoming by-election and help us send a message to Labour to build Haxby Station, restore the winter fuel allowance and scrap the Green Bin Tax.”