Uncertainty is set to continue for the London Borough of Enfield's
troubled PR team.
The team has already been without key senior staff for most of the year
and was the subject of a damning government report into its
operations.
The council has now revealed that a full-scale review to decide on its
future has been launched, and a temporary management team has been put
in place, pending the outcome in January.
The review, being handled in-house, coincides with the council finally
severing its ties with head of marketing and communications Ashley
Gibbins, who left suddenly in June.
Head of human resources Angela O'Connor, who the PR team reports to
until the review is complete, is remaining tightlipped regarding
Gibbin's departure.
However, she did say an agreement between Gibbins and the council was
reached within the last month: 'He has left by mutual agreement, that
has been decided recently. Any other details are confidential.'
Gibbins is now working full time for his East London-based consultancy
William Jack Communications, with partner Ivor Watkins, a former head of
press at the GLC.
As part of the temporary management structure, headed by O'Connor, the
day-to-day running of the PR team is being handled by marketing manager
Joanna Popadopolous.
Aside from Gibbin's absence, the council has also been without a
communications manager since the beginning of the year, when Tino
Hernandez quit the role to join the Department of Trade and
Industry.
The PR function at Enfield had come under fierce criticism in a report
compiled by the Improvement and Development Agency. The report slammed
the council for being too wary of the local press and channelling all
media enquiries and PR work through a small team.
