The Covid lead for Staffordshire County Council is to step down from his role on Cabinet.

Dr Johnny McMahon, who was appointed to spearhead the public health drive on Covid-19, is standing down after almost two years in the role. Johnny will remain as a county councillor for Hednesford and Rawnsley.

Johnny said: "There have been both hugely challenging and hugely rewarding times in equal measures for the county council as we chartered our way through the ups and down of the pandemic.

"I am immensely proud of Staffordshire's response and how our partners such as the NHS, district and borough councils, schools and staff in the county council really pulled together like never before to help try and keep people safe and keep health and care frontline services open.

"While I will still be very much an active county councillor, now feels like the right time to step back from Cabinet."

Johnny was appointed as the Cabinet Member for Health and Care in the summer of 2020 and later stayed on as Cabinet Support Member for Public Health and Integrated Care to continue as Covid lead.

Alan White, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, said: "When I asked Johnny to join Cabinet to lead on public health in the pandemic I knew he was the right person for the job and he certainly has not let me down.

"With his health background he brought with him an understanding of the NHS but also a real understanding and compassion for the impact the virus was having on residents and on the people working tirelessly to protect them.

"This has helped strengthen our health and care working across the county and I would like to thank him for his work on the Cabinet and I know he will continue to do everything he can for the benefit of the people of Hednesford and Rawnsley."