Oxford’s newest city councillor has promised to return the public’s faith in her after a ‘whirlwind’ first week tackling Brexit, homelessness and housing.

Stef Garden, who has worked as a nurse for NHS in Oxford and for the university, was elected as the city councillor for Headington earlier this month.

The mother-of-two said she felt ‘amazingly privileged’ and got straight to work in the council chamber.

Speaking after her first week, she said: “The last week has seemed like a whirlwind of activity.

“In the last days of canvassing I was able to meet both more of Headington’s residents who were new to me and many residents who have already begun to seem more like old friends.

“The count was both exciting yet nerve-wracking – but to receive such a large endorsement from the residents of Headington was humbling.”

She added: “I promise to return their faith in me by working hard for everyone in the ward.”

Mrs Garden stood unsuccessfully in St Mary’s ward in May’s city council elections, losing out to the Green Party’s Dick Wolff.

But after being selected by the Liberal Democrats as its candidate to replace Ruth Wilkinson, who resigned last month after representing Headington for 10 years, she secured victory in a by-election earlier this month.

She won 949 votes, beating Labour’s Simon Ottino, who won 419 votes, and the Conservatives' Georgina Gibbs – 124 votes – and the Green Party’s Ray Hitchins (67 votes).

She said: “It feels almost surreal to have become the latest councillor for Oxford to represent the ward of Headington.

“I came to the city from South Africa in 2002; I have worked in its hospitals and for the university.

“I have watched my children grow up in its schools.

“Now I get to give back to the city that has become my home.”

She added: “To become a councillor is not something I would have anticipated a year ago but I feel amazingly privileged to have been given this opportunity.”

A council induction session followed on July 20 - the day after her election victory – along with a briefing on the members’ code of conduct.

The following Monday she signed the ‘Declaration of Office’ and attended her first full council meeting.

She said: “As my first council meeting was so close to the by-election I was not able to submit any questions, but it became clear very quickly what a challenge it is to sit on the opposition benches when Labour has such an overwhelming majority.

“Labour are stuck very much in the past as they continue to attack the coalition government rather than move with the times.”

She added: “I would like to think that we should all be trying to build an Oxford for the future, for all its citizens, regardless of their background, not trying to score points from the past.”

Oxford’s Liberal Democrat group was left disappointed after its motion to increase support for homeless people and consider building modular housing for rough sleepers on council land was defeated.

The motion, put forward by leader Andrew Gant, called for land designated for car parks or employment growth to be given over to help the homeless crisis.

Mr Gant said that a modular development in south east London – housing 24 previously homeless families – could be recreated in Oxford.

But he later said that Labour proposed a ‘wrecking amendment’ that removed any clear commitment.

Mrs Garden said: “We tried to offer innovative and radical ideas that have seen success in other areas.

“We cannot continue to try and house people only by traditional standard types of housing.

“New ideas are needed and as a council I feel we must take responsibility for promoting some of the better plans put forward, such as the student architecture designs by Oxford Brookes University, in partnership with Crisis homeless support charity.”

“There seems to be a very conservative approach to solving our homelessness and housing crises, as was shown by the wrecking amendments to our proposal, which meant we could no longer support it. I hope we will successfully challenge their approach in future.”

But the mother-of-two was eventually encouraged by her first experience in the council chamber as councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal.

She said: “It was an issue that people brought up again and again across Headington during the May election as well as during the by-election.

“Most Labour councillors defied their central Party and should be commended for placing the people of Oxford above party politics.

“This vote reflected our city’s attachment to Europe and the knowledge of how bad Brexit will be for us.

“I do so hope the city-wide support for a People’s Vote is now brought up in Parliament by our two MPs.”

She will oversee the Headington ward alongside fellow Liberal Democrats Roz Smith and Mohammed Altaf-Khan until her seat is next up for grabs in four years.

She said: “Once again thank you to all of you who have supported me. I promise to work hard for the future of our city especially Headington and its residents.”