Recruits boost PR unit for Borough of Tower Hamlets

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has completed a restructure

that aims to end five years of upheaval for its PR unit (PRWeek, 4

May).

The council has now filled all the vacancies for its 19-strong team,

created earlier this year following a review by agency Renaissance.

Kathy Louis, senior press officer with the Food Standards Agency, joins

within the next two months as head of press.

Former Reuters international news producer Jane McCormick will join at

the end of July to become web editor.

The final two PRO vacancies have been filled by Matt Smith and Helen

New, who join from West Sussex County Council and Countrywide Porter

Novelli respectively.

All recruits will report to Siobhan Crozier, now Haringey Council head

of communications, who takes the same role at Tower Hamlets next

month.

The remaining posts were filled earlier this year.

Crozier's post had been vacant since head of PR and media Peter Davies

was made redundant at the end of 1999.

Her role now carries management team status, which previously it had

not.

Since 1995, the department has seen the redundancies of two PR heads,

three restructures, and criticism of 'poor performance' in 1997 by the

then CEO Sylvie Pierce.

Consultant David Thompson, acting head of press, declined to comment on

the PR team's recent history, only saying: 'This is a permanent team.'