One of Helston's Cornwall councillors has stepped down from the cabinet after 11 months in post.

Judith Haycock, member for Helston south, said it was a “combination of things” that had prompted her to retire from her role as health and adult care portfolio holder.

It included a desire to work more on improving the lives of constituents in her division - something she felt was becoming increasingly hard due to the demands of her ever-growing role.

She said: “When I took it on 11 months ago I realised it was a massive amount of work. Actually that work has just been growing and growing. I wanted to give commitment to local issues as well. It was just becoming an impossible task.”

The health and adult care portfolio has recently taken on public health, meaning that issues such as obesity and helping people to stop smoking also came under her remit.

“It's a difficult decision to make. I think it's better to say now. I have given it 110 per cent but there's only seven days in the week and there's 24 hours in a day,” she said.

“It is very sad. I certainly didn't want to step down, but with so much coming up with the budget - it's common knowledge it's extremely overspent this year - it just seemed that if I wasn't going to stick at it, it would be the appropriate time to step down.

“With the annual general meeting coming up it's the opportunity for someone else to take up the gauntlet.”

The portfolio has yet to be handed over to another councillor, with the decision to be taken between council leader John Pollard and an independent group.

Mrs Haycock added: “I think it's fair to say my priority is Helston. I was voted by the people of Helston to represent Helston.”

Already in her role as division member she is part of the Helston Town Framework group and a representative of Helston Business Improvement Partnership, while outside of the council she chairs the South Kerrier Heritage Trust that runs Helston Museum.

“That was my choice to do, but sometimes you have to put your hands up and say, 'I can't do all of it'.

“I'm still going to be involved in issues at County Hall and it will give me more time to be involved in all issues rather than just concentrating on adult social care and public health,” she said.