Dudley South MP Mike Wood has announced he’s resigning as a councillor ahead of the May local elections.

The Conservative, who won the Dudley South seat at last year’s General Election, said he had always intended to stand down.

He’s served as councillor in the Pedmore & Stourbridge East ward for the past two years, but says he can no longer juggle the role with his commitments in parliament.

He said he wanted to step aside now to spare the council the expense of holding a separate by-election before the public goes to the polls in May.