Cllr Jonathan McShane will quit cabinet in May to ‘devote more time’ to charity

Cllr Jonathan McShane will be stepping down in May.

Hackney’s cabinet member for health is stepping down in May after eight years in post and 13 years as a councillor.

Cllr Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Devolution, will quit the council after the local elections in May 2018.

He said he wanted to “devote more time” to his charity work as chair of the Terrence Higgins Trust, which provides services for people living with HIV.

Cllr McShane said: “It’s been an enormous privilege to serve the residents of Hackney for so many years.

“It’s been a tough decision but now feels like the right time to consider other opportunities. I’ve recently become the Chair of the Terrence Higgins Trust and I want to be able to devote more time to such an important role.”

Cllr McShane will remain in his cabinet post until May. Hackney Mayor Philip Glanville paid tribute to Cllr McShane’s work for the council.

“As Cabinet Member with responsibility for health and adult social care, Jonathan has helped to navigate the Council through some of the most significant and complex changes to the role of the local councils”, he said.

“From the growing demands on adult social care – and shrinking budgets from central government – to the huge changes in public health and the way the wider NHS is governed, he’s worked tirelessly to get the best deal for Hackney, and his work has made a real difference to the lives of our residents.

“We’ll be very sorry to see him go and I wish him well for the future.”