The Guardian Public Leaders Network, a 5,500-strong forum for public sector professionals will soon have a communications offspring. The network, hosted by the Guardian, will launch a Government Communications online hub on 19 September to provide a forum for comms professionals working with or within the public sector. The newspaper hosts a number of other professionally-oriented online networks.

Other interfaces exist for the public sector to analyse and participate in social media, such as WeGov, a newly developed social media collator. However, the Guardian’s resource will allow for direct participation and provide exclusively tailored news and analysis for government comms professionals. Content will also be generated and commissioned by the Guardian.

Editor of the Guardian Public Leaders Network Jane Dudman says, “We know that government communications professionals face big challenges in implementing the government’s new vision for communications and this will be an online space in which those at the coalface can share their experiences, to give them an edge in a rapidly-changing world.”

The Government Communications forum is to be faced immediately with the news of cuts to the government’s communications budget. Communications staff in Government has dropped by 11 per cent since last year, with an additional decrease expected. Spending on PR agencies will continue to plummet in response to the austere budget.