PS Communications Ltd

PS Communications is an Edinburgh based PR and lobbying company.

Conflict of interest?

Campaigners fighting the proposed sale of Edinburgh playing fields for housing have expressed disquiet at the role of a former council leader who now works for the PR firm representing the would-be developer. Applecross wants to buy Meggetland playing fields - which are used by schools and are the home of Boroughmuir rugby club - to build more than 170 homes. In return the company promises to improve the remaining pitches and provide changing rooms for pupils.

Edinburgh City Council's education department is keen to dispose of the land in exchange for upgrading and facilities worth £4m. But many local people are opposed to the loss of recreational ground. Applecross is represented by PS Communications, which has four public relations contracts with Edinburgh City Council. PS Communications employs Keith Geddes as a senior executive. Geddes was formerly convener of the council and was Labour's schools spokesman during the spring election campaign. Then he argued for the protection of sports grounds.

He is a former president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, and narrowly missed being elected an MSP in May. He is now a front-runner to become a Westminster MP. PS Communications has stressed that Geddes has not been involved in the multi-million pound deal. The person who has taken a prominent role for PS Communications is Dennis Sullivan, an executive member of the Liberal Democrats and one of Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace's closest advisers.

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Sullivan presented the developer's case to head teachers and local people at a meeting in the city council headquarters. The potential conflict of interest surrounding Geddes has prompted Green MSP Robin Harper to call for a gap of at least one year between councillors leaving politics and joining lobbying firms. He said: "There should be a decent lapse of time before an ex- councillor takes a job with a firm of consultants."

There is also disquiet that Geddes was taken on by the firm within days of the city council awarding it a #27,564 contract to carry out a communications audit and review for the authority, to add to three other contracts in place for the education department. A parent and school board member who did not wish to be named said: "I think a lot of people would be concerned about the role of Keith Geddes. There is a question mark in my mind." PS Communications denied any potential conflict of interest involving Geddes. Dennis Sullivan, speaking on behalf of Geddes, said: "At no point has the council paid us any money for Meggetland development work, directly or indirectly. There is common interest between the education department and the developer.

"We have an agreement that Keith Geddes will work on no Edinburgh Council contracts. That was made as a public statement. We were quite conscious that someone like Keith would be open to allegations. On the question of the Edinburgh City Council contract, Keith did not know that we were in the running for it."

Former directors

• Struan Stevenson

Address

Hall House 8 Redford Loan Colinton Edinburgh Midlothian EH13 0AX Tel.: 0131 4413888 Fax: 0131 4412095 E-mail: info@drsassociates.co.uk Contact: Dennis Robertson Sullivan