The London Borough of Hackney is to lose its communications head
Marina Pirotta, who is leaving the council to take up the post of
communications director at the London Borough of Brent.
Pirotta will take up the role at the end of January next year and will
be the first person in the post for nearly two years after the council
dropped the role in a round of budget cuts in 1997. The appointment ends
a six-month search to fill the position.
Pirotta said she believed she was taking on the position at a time where
the conditions were right to allow her to reverse the council’s poor
image, which has suffered extensively in the media over the past ten
years. ’With a new management team, a new chief executive and a leader
who is strong on communications all the conditions are right,’ she
said.
Pirotta will take an open brief at the council with strategic
responsibility for all internal, and external communications and will
conduct a root and branch audit when she comes to the borough.
She will aim to boost the borough’s image across its audiences, from
residents to central government. Pirotta will report to chief executive
Gareth Daniel, but will carry little responsibility for the day-to-day
running of the press office. So-lin Jeffery will continue to run the
press team of four and report to Pirotta.
The last holder of the post was John Walker, who left in August 1997 to
set up the Renaissance PR consultancy.
