A senior Watford Borough Councillor has called time on his near 20-year stint in local politics and is preparing to retire to the New Forest.

Liberal Democrat Alan Burtenshaw, who was first elected to represent Woodside ward in 1994, resigned on Tuesday morning.

The decision to resign at this stage allows a by-election to be held on May 2 at the same time as the county council vote.

Councillor Burtenshaw, 63, is a previous chairman of the council - prior to the introduction of the elected mayor role in 2002 - and was chairman of the planning committee for eight years.

His wife Ellie Burtenshaw was a fellow Woodside councillor prior to stepping down from her seat in 2010.

He says they have been searching for a place to retire to for some time and have put their house on the market with a view to leaving the area for good and moving closer to family in the New Forest.

He said: "I am actually retiring from work at the end of May then we’ll pack everything up and move south.

"I had to resign so early because I am trying to save the council money by having the by-election on the same day as the county council elections.

"I only found out a week or so ago that I would have to give this much notice.

"Moving there seemed the right thing to do, it’s a nice part of the country and now I just want to get it done.

"I have told people I am not waiting until I am 65; I am going to go a little earlier."

Reflecting on the major changes he has seen in the town as well as in Town Hall, Mr Burtenshaw identifies the creation of two new leisure centres - Woodside and Central - and the opening of the Warner Brothers Studio attraction in Leavesden as the major developments the town has seen.

He said: "Since 1994 there have been an awful lot of changes to the make up of the council and how it has developed.

"It has been a big change and there are even more big changes to come so I will be sad to go at this time and not see everything come to fruition.

"Having been involved with planning for so long I just hope to get decisions right most of the time and if you get it wrong then learn from your mistakes.

"If you can leave a place in a better condition than when you come to it then you have done that right."

His and Mrs Burtenshaw’s involvement with the Watford New Hope Trust and the Sea Lions Swimming Club also remains a source of pride.

He added: "Both Ellie and I have been supporters of the Watford New Hope Trust for a very long time, it is one of the things we have been very pleased to help with and support.

"It was my charity when I was chairman and Ellie works in the shop."

When challenged on whether he would seek to become active in local politics in his new home, he admitted friends had already tried to tap him up but he has turned them down.

He said: "I am absolutely not going to take part in local politics down there, I have done it for 19 years, I have served my time and now I want to enjoy the rest of my life."