Press enquiries

The Communications Unit can be reached during normal working hours (9am to 5pm weekdays, excluding public holidays).

For audit/tracking purposes, all media enquiries should be sent to:

Email: [email protected] 

All responses will be given via email.

If you want to speak to our communications officers, you can call them on the mobile numbers below. Their areas of responsibility are listed here.

Our team only deals with media enquiries from accredited journalists working for recognised news organisations. 

Working-hours contact information

Claire Beattie, Communications Lead Officer

Claire heads the communications officers' team and covers strategic Economic Development projects (including Borderlands, Chapelcross and SOSE), Regeneration, Climate, whole-council (corporate) enquiries, including matters relating to Full Council, Convention of the South of Scotland and Elections.

Telephone: 07747 441594

Steven Kirkpatrick, Senior Communications Officer

Steven covers Education and Learning, Youth Work, Leisure Facilities, Museums and Galleries, Housing, Community Resilience and Emergency Planning as well as Major Events and Elections.

Telephone: 07500 032404

Gary Kirkpatrick, Communications Officer

Gary covers Roads, Waste, Environment, including Core Paths and Countryside Access, Civic Events, Lord Lieutenancy, Armed Forces, Planning, Economy, Transport, Flood Risk Management, Infrastructure, Trading and Environmental Standards, SWESTRANS' Active Travel projects, Sustainable Travel projects and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points.

Telephone: 07584 112560

Ralph Hull, Communications Officer

Ralph covers internal communications, Licensing, Lifelong Learning, Employability and Skills, and Enabling and Customer Services directorate projects.

Telephone: 07584 156421

Ruaridh Thin-Smith, Communications Officer

Ruaridh covers Social Work, Community Payback, Fostering, Public Protection, Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, Resettlement, Poverty and Inequalities, partnership work with the NHS and Health and Social Care Partnership, and Community Planning and Engagement.

Telephone: 07385 400365

David Sawyer, Communications Manager

David is responsible for the Communications Unit (external and internal communications, graphics, multimedia, social and web) and can be reached on:

Telephone: 07770 886923

General enquiries

For general enquiries:

• use our contact us form
• go to freedom of information