Former council leader in new role at health board

NHS Shetland has appointed former Shetland Islands Council leader Gary Robinson as its new chairman.

He will take on the fouryear role from August 1.

Mr Robinson, who will replace outgoing chairman Ian Kinniburgh, joins the health board at a time when it needs to cut costs by millions as it tackles high expenditure.

A Scottish Government announcement on his appointment said Mr Robinson “oversaw the implementation of the council’s governance review and successfully led the council back to sustainability following many years of overspending.

“During this time, he was also responsible for the successful integration of health and social care services in the islands.

“A strong advocate of community empowerment, he personally led several participatory budgeting exercises throughout the islands and he was a commissioner on Shetland’s inequalities commission.”

It added that “alongside his counterparts from Orkney and the Outer Hebrides, he co-founded the award-winning Our Islands Our Future campaign which culminated in the Islands Bill currently passing through the Scottish Parliament.

“Gary has been a member of the Chartered Institute for Sport and Recreation Management since its inception.”

Mr Robinson was first elected as a councillor in 2007 before he was appointed leader in 2012.

He failed to regain his place in the Shetland West ward in last year’s council election.

The NHS Shetland chairperson role has a remuneration of £28,288 and the job is part-time with a commitment of three days per week.

2 X 7 MINUTE HEATS

2 X 5 MINUTE RACE + 10 MINUTE FINAL 2 X 10 MINUTE HEATS 10 MINUTE QUALIFYING + 25 LAP RACE 2 X 15 LAP RACE + 30 LAP FINAL

Gary Robinson