BLACKBIRD Leys city and county councillor Val Smith has been ill for some time, so her resignation from both local authorities will perhaps not have surprised her family and friends.

But the announcement will have been a heartbreaking moment for Mrs Smith herself, as she has devoted so many years to serving people in her community.

She and her husband, Oxford East MP Andrew Smith, now have to come to terms with the fact that additional cancer treatment is required.

Mrs Smith has acknowledged that the treatment regime could interfere with her ability to fulfil her role as a councillor for both councils and wants to ensure her constituents get the best possible representation, so she is standing down.

Over the years Mrs Smith, a former Lord Mayor of Oxford, has always been a straight talker, avoiding the kind of council jargon that can sometimes baffle the public.

And her desire to help people means she has taken on tricky casework over the years that some councillors might have been tempted to walk away from.

Mrs Smith’s sterling public service contribution to Blackbird Leys and the wider community has been valued hugely and will not be forgotten. She and her family will be able to focus on treatment and she will have the support of people in Blackbird Leys and beyond, and her city and county council colleagues.