Gareth Nicholson leads a varied portfolio at Havering Council* including leisure centres, libraries, a music school and customer services as well as communications. Beginning his career as a civil servant in Belfast, he has spent more than a decade working across the comms spectrum for Network Rail, the Electoral Commission, on HS2, employment and in local government. 

As head of communications at Essex Police, Gareth led a talented team of communicators to national awards campaigning on domestic violence and police officer recruitment as well as leading comms responses to President Trump’s arrival at Stansted, coastal flood emergencies and terrorist incidents. 

Gareth’s current focus at Havering is on post-covid reset and building the strategy, culture and ‘new bargain between employer and employee as the council looks towards the future. 

*Havering is the Essex bit of London or the London bit of Essex, depending on how you look at it!