Pagoda Public Relations

Pagoda is a PR company rund by the former head of the Institute of Public Relations Scotland Ian Coldwell.

Privatising housing

It ran into controversy in a conflict of interest case. The Scotsman reported:

AN ARGUMENT over a lucrative contract involving some of Scotland's highest-profile PR firms has landed on the desk of Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm. It follows Edinburgh City Council's decision to award a £250,000 deal to work on the Edinburgh housing stock transfer programme to Pagoda PR, based in Edinburgh.

Pagoda - chaired by former Tory minister Sir Michael Hirst and with former Edinburgh Council leader Keith Geddes as policy director - won a four-way pitch for the prestigious contract. However, concerns have been raised when it was revealed that Pagoda also listed Communities Scotland, the stock transfer regulator, as one of their clients...

Pagoda has already undertaken a number of consultation programmes on housing stock transfer programmes throughout Scotland. The firm has worked with Scottish Borders Council from the initial tenant consultation through to a successful ballot in favour of transfer providing advice on public consultation, focusing on tenants and other stakeholders such as housing staff, voluntary agencies, elected members, community organisations and the wider public.

Pagoda worked with the Highland Council on 52 public meetings and roadshows to consult tenants on the options for future ownership and management of council housing, and the firm is now working with Inverclyde and Aberdeen City on a similar consultation and communication exercise.

Ian Coldwell, managing director of Pagoda, says he is awaiting confirmation from Edinburgh Council to confirm the housing transfer account was theirs. He says they no longer work directly for Communities Scotland: "We carried out a short internal communications audit for Communities Scotland a year ago and are no longer retained by them. We do not see why this is in any way relevant. "We are extremely pleased to have won the Edinburgh tender. It is the latest of a number of communication contracts we have won against Beattie in recent months. We believe we have a very strong public sector offering and are disappointed that Beattie should choose to respond in this way." A spokesperson for Communities Scotland confirms that Pagoda worked for them in 2003 on an internal communication project for their staff.^[1]

Staff

Pagoda PR is a team of consultants with offices in Edinburgh and Belfast. Each of us has expertise in specific practice areas across the public and private sectors. We work in small teams to the highest professional and ethical standards. We specialise in strategic communications work including media relations, public policy, internal communications and issues and crisis management. We work with a network of associates in Scotland and across the UK.

Sir Michael Hirst Chairman MCIPR
Ian Coldwell Managing Director FCIPR
Giselle Dye Director MCIPR
Nicky Petrie Director MCIPR
Keith Geddes Policy Director ACIPR

Lynne Veitch Consultant ACIPR Jacquie Kane Consultant ACIPR Neil Freshwater Account Executive ACIPR Lorna Saunders Administration Jenny Greenaway Consultant ACIPR