A COUNCILLOR who campaigned for an Oxford Living Wage has stood down.

Martyn Rush, an Oxford City Councillor for Barton and Sandhills has resigned for family and work reasons.

Mr Rush was the council's champion for an Oxford Living Wage, and campaigned to sign up employers in the city to pay the rate, which currently stands at £10.21 an hour.

He was elected in 2018 and is member of the Labour Group on the council.

His seat in Barton and Sandhills ward will remain empty until the next council elections in May 2021, as no by-elections are currently allowed while the pandemic continues.

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The other Barton and Sandhills ward seat on council continues to be filled by Mike Rowley.

The council leader Susan Brown will take over Cllr Rush’s work on the Oxford Living Wage.

Mr Rush said: “I have been proud to live in Barton and serve the community for the duration of my term, and I wish to thank the residents of Barton and Sandhills for their support. It has been a privilege to serve the ward."

He added: “Seeing the communities of Barton and Sandhills come together recently and rally around each other has been inspiring, and the ward is ready to build back even better.”

Council leader Ms Brown said he would be 'very much missed'.