The Audit Commission has appointed its first full time head of
communications to raise the profile of the organisation among the
general public.
Dr Stuart Smith has been brought in from 3M where he was manager of
corporate communications and marketing communications.
He has been charged with gaining greater recognition of the Audit
Commission for the role it performs scrutinising public expenditure.
’People working within the public sector are aware of the job the Audit
Commission does in accounting for the way money is spent within
government and local authorities,’ said Smith.
’But outside of this audience, the organisation is not as well
understood. I want to emphasise the partnership approach we take with
the Government and prompt wider debate about statutory responsibility,’
he added.
The Audit Commission’s PR effort has until now been headed by associate
director Vanessa Couchman, who took on the remit as a part of her
general management role.
Couchman took on agencies Westminster Communications and Regester
Larkin, which the Commission continues to work with.
At 3M, Smith’s job has now been split into two. The corporate
communications role will be filled by Tony Bellis, who has moved
internally.
