 On 15 May, Caring Together announced that Dame Williams and the Caring Together Executive Board had jointly decided that she would not be taking up the role.Formerly known as Jo Dillon she changed her name to Williams (the name of her partner) whilst working as principal officer for Cheshire Social Services Department in the 1980s.. She progressed in seniority to become second in command before being promoted to Director of Social Services in Wigan.She later returned to Cheshire as Director of Social Services.