WIREDGOV

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude today announced that he has commissioned Matt Tee, Permanent Secretary Government Communications, to undertake a review of the Central Office of Information (COI) and the coordination of cross-department marketing and communications.

Working with COI’s Chief Executive Mark Lund, Matt will consider its role, funding, organisational status, governance; and the most effective organisation of cross-departmental coordination and leadership on strategic marketing and communication issues.

This review follows the freeze on marketing and advertising, which has seen Government spending in this area fall dramatically, and the recent restructuring of COI and government communications, which has led to significant reductions of its staff numbers.

Matt Tee will deliver his recommendations to the Minister for the Cabinet Office in January 2011. Matt has indicated that having seen through this review and the transition to new arrangements he will be leaving the Cabinet Office at the end of March to seek new challenges.

Prime Minister, David Cameron, said:

"Matt Tee is playing an important role in helping to build a new structure for government communications, which will prepare us for the challenges ahead and save the taxpayer money. I'm very grateful for his contribution and wish him well in the future."

Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said:

“This Government has worked hard to cut down on unsustainably high spending on communications. The next step is to ensure that COI is well placed to respond to the needs of the future.”

He added:

“It has been a genuine pleasure working with Matt, and his professionalism, experience and judgement will be missed in the Cabinet Office and across Government.”

Matt Tee, Permanent Secretary of Communications, said:

“I am proud to have led government communications through a time of major change as the civil service made the successful transition to a new coalition Government. We have also significantly reduced expenditure on advertising and marketing, paved the way for a new era of government transparency and introduced a major shift towards digital as the default channel for government information and services. Throughout these changes, the professionalism and impartiality that civil service communicators have shown has impressed the new Government.”

Matt Tee has also been responsible for digital engagement and supported Martha Lane Fox’s review of DirectGov.

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