By Heather Jameson A massive managerial shake-up announced at the Department for Communities and Local Government will shift responsibility for the local government White Paper to a new division. But the change will not happen until after the White Paper is launched in October, permanent secretary Peter Housden has said. Under the new management structure, the White Paper will switch from the current directorate of regional and local government to a new division of governance and communications. It will continue to be guided by John O’Brien, director of local government performance and practice, and David Prout, director of local government policy, and overseen by the director general for regional and local government, Neil Kinghan. A new director general for governance and communications will be hired, and is expected to be in place by October, when the White Paper is due to be published. Mr Kinghan will be shifted to become director general of fire and resilience. A second major change in the divisional responsibilities will see Joe Montgomery head up a new places and communities division. The department is also to start its search for a director general of equalities and a director of finance. Two non-executive directors have been hired to join the board – Sarah Weir, executive director of the Arts Council, and Peter Doyle, chair of the Church Urban fund and Governor of the Peabody Trust. In addition, the department has also hired a new chief scientific adviser, and is looking to recruit a director of communications and a chief executive of the Thames Gateway. The department has also announced a shift of its major personnel to an open-plan office on the sixth floor of Eland House in London’s Victoria. l Full details, see page 10 hr.jameson @hgluk.com
