THE youngest councillor in Welwyn Hatfield has resigned and is heading to university.

Labour’s Ben Yetts, 21, was representing Welwyn Garden City’s Haldens ward at Welwyn Hatfield Council, but has stepped down to go to either Salford or Leeds to study politics.

A by-election for the seat will be held on the same day as the County Hall vote on May 2.

He said: “I resigned with a heavy heart, knowing that it was the right thing to do.

“The opportunity to study at university was too great an offer to turn down.

“By resigning at this point in time, the by-election to succeed me can be held on the same day as May’s county elections.

“This saves the council the thousands of pounds they would have otherwise had to spend on arranging a separate election.

“It would’ve been wrong of me to remain as a councillor knowing that I was set to be moving hundreds of miles away.”

This is the latest blow for the Labour group after council leader John Dean called for the resignation of Hatfield councillor Colin Croft after he moved more than 200 miles to Bridlington, Yorkshire.