A SENIOR member of the Vale Council has resigned from his role as cabinet member, saying his day job does not allow for the time required for the role.

Cabinet member for visible services, Cllr Rob Curtis, has stepped down to focus on his occupation as an electrician at the Cardiff-based University Hospital of Wales.

The Vale and Barry town councillor, who represents the Labour Party, earned more than £30,000 in total as a basic allowance and special responsibility as a cabinet member.

The Vale bio-diversity champion is also the chairman of Friends of Barry Beaches (FOBB) and campaigner for Fairtrade in the town.

Cllr Curtis will retain his role as councillor for the Vale for the ward of Gibbonsdown and remain on Barry Town Council.

Cllr Rob Curtis said: "For a long time I have found it a struggle to juggle my commitments with that and the NHS.

"It's an excellent team but we are going through very tough times.

"You need more time to spend on the post than I can give it."

The Vale of Glamorgan Council confirmed it had reduced the size of its cabinet to six members following the resignation of Cllr Rob Curtis from the Council’s executive group.

Cllr Neil Moore, Leader of the Council, said: “At a time of significant cuts to local government spending, the only appropriate course of action was to take this as an opportunity to further reduce the cost of politicians to the organisation.

“The financial constraints placed upon the Vale of Glamorgan Council by central government mean that my cabinet colleagues and I are currently having to ask service managers to find considerable savings. I feel it is only right that the Council’s political leadership lead by example.

"Cllr Curtis’ departure will be a great loss to the authority. I have thanked him for his considerable input over the past three years and look forward to continuing to work with Rob in his role as a ward member.”

The size of the Council’s cabinet was reduced from ten posts to seven in 2012, a change which has saved the Council in excess of £100k in the years since.

The duties of the role of Cabinet Member for Environment, which include responsibility for waste management and recycling, highways maintenance, and street lighting, will be re-distributed amongst the remaining cabinet members. Details of their expanded portfolios will be confirmed at the next meeting of full council on 04 March 2015. Cllr Curtis remains a ward member for the Gibbonsdown ward in Barry.