PUBLIC SECT0R: Ex-Gnash PRO to head Southwark comms

The London Borough of Southwark has appointed a technology PR

specialist as its communications head.

Lise Colyer, who took voluntary redundancy from technology PR agency

Gnash Communications late last year, joined Southwark this week.

While at Gnash, where she was an account director, her clients included

dot.coms First Tuesday and lastminute.com.

In contrast, her work at Southwark will include responses to issues

arising from the imminent Damilola Taylor murder trial, and the

borough's mayoral referendum.

Ten-year-old Damilola was fatally stabbed in Peckham one year ago.

Action was taken by the council and the Metropolitan Police after his

death to tackle crime and safety problems in the area. This included an

initiative to reward youngsters for good behaviour.

Colyer, who worked as a press officer at Amnesty International and the

Samaritans before joining Gnash, said: 'The technology sector is

experiencing some problems, voluntary redundancy was offered and I

decided to take it.

'It may seem an unusual move from technology PR to this but my

experience isn't just with agencies,' she added.

Colyer reports to head of customer relations, consultation and

communications, Amanda Hurst, and leads a nine-strong team.

At Southwark, Colyer replaces James Flynn, who left earlier this month

to join public sector specialist consultancy Marina Pirotta

Communications.

MPC has this week announced it is assisting in a communications review

of the London Borough of Waltham Forest.

The overhaul comes after the 12 council departments were recently

slashed to just four directorates, with communications now sitting in

corporate services.

Flynn and agency founder Marina Pirotta will be reviewing internal

communications. Paul Richards Communications has been hired to

investigate external PR.