A newly elected MP will not stand down as councillor despite new commitments.

Liberal Democrat Liz Jarvis won the race against the Conservatives at the general election.

She has now stepped into the role of Eastleigh MP after the seat was held by Tories for more than a decade.

But she is not rushing any decisions on stepping down as councillor for Hamble and Netley.

She said: “At the moment I am adjusting to my new role as an MP and busy setting up my parliamentary office, so I'm not rushing any decisions on this.

“My focus now is making sure I am supporting my constituents with local issues and ensuring casework is completed to a high standard.

"In the meantime, I will be donating my councillor allowance to charities and will continue to work closely with my ward colleagues on local issues, big and small."

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Steve Broomfield, the sole Conservative councillor in Eastleigh Borough Council, said he is surprised by Ms Jarvis’ decision.

He said he knows firsthand how demanding the work of a councillor is, from meetings to emails, phone calls and more.

“Tying these in with a full day in Westminster and commuting from London would be impossible, I suspect”, he said.

Cllr Broomfield added: “From having worked closely both with Paul Holmes and, before him, Mims Davies, I know how hard dedicated MPs work, and the toll that being an MP takes on home, family and personal life.

“What Ms Jarvis does with the money is immaterial. I cannot see how anyone can devote adequate time to dealing with an MPs workload and the casework of a councillor.

“Somewhere along the road I fear someone is going to be short changed.”

Despite concerns, leader of the council Keith House remains optimistic about Ms Jarvis’ prospects, both in Westminster and Eastleigh.

He said: “Many MPs have continued in their local council after being elected.

“Some find it helps them keep in touch with their area with more contacts on local issues and also to not get sucked into spending all their time in Westminster”.