Cllr Judith Beckman will step down in March

A Wembley councillor who refused to disclose where she lives after moving out of Brent is to step down.

Cllr Judith Beckman will resign from her seat in the Barnhill ward after the Times revealed she could continue to claim thousands of pounds in allowances despite moving out of the borough.

According to Cllr Ann John, leader of Brent’s Labour group and council leader, Cllr Beckman will officially hand in her resignation in March so a by-election can be held on May 3 - the same day of the London Mayor and Assembly elections.

Cllr John said: “This will save tax payers’ money. In the meantime Cllr Beckman will to do her councillor duties and attend meetings.”

Until she formally resigns, Cllr Beckman, who is rumoured to be residing in south-west England, will be able to claim a basic councillor’s allowance of �7,974 plus a further �2,113 Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) as she is on three committees in the council – providing she attends one meeting every six months.

Last week, the Times revealed that Cllr Rev David Clues also failed to give up his seat as the only Liberal democrat councillor in the Dudden Hill ward in Willesden, despite moving to a church in Brighton – almost 80 miles away.

He told the Times: “I’m still available for people to contact and to meet up with and I come back for meetings. My priority is that I represent Dudden Hill to the best of my ability.

“There will be a time when this may become impossible, I know. And if this happens I will stop.”

However, Cllr John has called for him to follow in Cllr Beckman’s steps.

She said: “I am now challenging David Clues to do the same.”