South Cambridgeshire MP Pippa Heylings stands down as district councillor

Pippa Heylings has announced her resignation as councillor for South Cambridgeshire District Council two months after her election to Parliament.

Ms Heylings represented Histon and Impington and a by-election to fill the vacancy is expected to take place in mid-October.

Council leader Cllr Bridget Smith (Lib Dem, Gamlingay) said: “It has been an honour to work with someone so clearly dedicated to her residents and to making all of South Cambs a fairer and greener place.

“Pippa has been one of the most consequential councillors in our district’s history and I’m sure will go on to be one of the most consequential MP’s South Cambs will ever have. Thank you for all your hard work over the last six years, Pippa.”

Ms Heyling’s ward colleagues, Cllr Martin Cahn and Cllr Sunita Hansraj, will continue to represent the ward.

Cllr Cahn (Lib Dem) said: “Pippa has been an amazing councillor for Histon and Impington and a brilliant person to work with. She is both a strong campaigner and someone who listens and learns. If she applies these same assets in her new role whilst I am sure we will miss her on the council, she will be an incredible force for good in Parliament and we are all behind her every step of the way.”

Cllr Hansraj (Lib Dem) added: “Pippa has been both a friend and mentor to me. Without her persuasive skills I would not have enjoyed the world of politics as much as I have done since being elected as a district councillor.

“I admire her knowledge, skill and her sheer determination to work hard for preserving the environment. I am happy that the UK has an MP of Pippa’s calibre but very sad she is no longer a fellow district councillor.”

Ms Heylings was elected to the council in 2018 when the Lib Dems took control of the authority. She led the way establishing the Climate and Environment Advisory Committee, which she has chaired since 2020.

This included the pioneering work on the council’s Zero Carbon Strategy including ambitious 2030 targets for cutting carbon emissions and promoting the adoption of the Doubling Nature Strategy, working to reverse the tide of biodiversity loss across the district.

South Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats will announce who has been selected to contest the by-election in the coming days.