Abode Recruitment

A senior figure at the Communities and Local Government department will lead the government fight against the economic downturn.

Chris Wormald will take charge of co-ordinating Whitehall policy to tackle the recession and prepare for the long-term recovery.

Mr Wormwald is currently director general of local government and regeneration with the CLG. He joined the department in November 2006.

He has now been appointed to the Cabinet Office as director general of the economic policy co-ordination group, which is responsible for the secretariat to the National Economic Council.

The NEC, chaired by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, is responsible for co-ordinating economic policies and working to help people and businesses deal with the current recession.

Mr Wormald, who will also oversee the Cabinet Office’s work to support and promote public service reform, will take up his post early next month.

Prior to joining the Communities department, Chris worked at the department for Education and Skills (and its predecessor departments).

Lindsay Bell, currently Communities and Local Government’s director of local government finance, will take over as acting director general in the local government and regeneration group, pending a national recruitment process to fill the post on a permanent basis.