COMMERCIAL property consultants Lamb and Edge have appointed MARK McKELVEY and KEITH FRAZER as partners and SARA COURTNEY as associate partner.

Mr McKelvey, who works in the land development section of the company, joined Lamb and Edge as a trainee surveyor after leaving King's School, Tynemouth, North Tyneside, 19 years ago.

He has worked with retailers, developers and landlords, and is now involved with major public and private sector land development projects throughout the region.

Mr Frazer specialises in property management and development advice and his clients include English Partnerships, regional development agency One NorthEast, Tees Valley Regeneration, Kenmore UK, the New Tyne Tunnel and Newcastle City Council.

Ms Courtney has been promoted to associate partner in the professional department. She specialises in valuations and landlord and tenant issues and joined Lamb and Edge from Storey Sons and Parker in 2002, having graduated from Northumbria University with an urban property surveying degree in 1999.

* Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has made appointments in its corporate communications unit to improve links with residents and staff.

MICHELLE ATKINSON has been appointed communications and marketing officer to manage the team.

The council's public relations officer, Paul Daniel, had been operating the PR unit, but a recent government inspection highlighted the need for strengthening council communications.

KEVIN HOGG and MARTIN JOHN have also been appointed to the team, joining as communications and public relations assistants.

* STEVE DALEY has been appointed engineering manager at Dicksons Traditional Pork Butchers.

The 45-year-old, of East Boldon, worked in the coal industry before joining North-East baker Greggs.

He will be responsible for mechanical and electrical work at the company's 20 food shops throughout Tyne and Wear and south-east Northumberland.

* BEN MAWHINNEY has been appointed sales manager of North-East company Amazing Grades.

The 30-year-old from Newcastle has specialist experience in IT sales and joins from My Business, where he was regional sales manager.

Amazing Grades is a resource for online studying. Mr Mawhinney will be responsible for increasing subscriptions to schools, colleges and people across the UK.

* DAVE PICKARD has been appointed head of housing management services for Tristar Homes, in Stockton.

The 43-year-old has worked in the housing sector for more than 23 years.

He was formerly area manager with the William Sutton Housing Association, in York, and worked for Newcastle City Council, Gateshead Council and the North British Housing Association.

* LAW firm Dickinson Dees is expanding its residential property division by recruiting LINDSEY CHARLTON as a team leader in the volume conveyancing team.

The 44-year-old joins Dickinson Dees from Newcastle law firm Samuel Phillips and Company, where she was head of residential conveyancing.

As part of her role, Ms Charlton will generate business while heightening the profile of Dickinson Dees' residential conveyancing service.

* KEL FIDLER, vice-chancellor of Northumbria University, has been appointed chairman of the Engineering Council UK.

Professor Fidler will serve for three years from May 12.

He has a degree and PhD in electrical engineering.

He has served on the Council of the Institution of Electrical Engineers and has taken part in many international activities in engineering education.

He has been vice-chancellor at Northumbria since 2001 and has chaired committees of the engineering council since its inception.

* AURIOL HODGSON has left the tranquility of the Orkney Islands for a job at Patterson Ford, in Newcastle.

Ms Hodgson has worked and studied in the Orkneys, London, Glasgow and Edinburgh before settling in Newcastle, where she has been appointed marketing executive at the motor retailer.

She will be responsible for conducting market research and producing promotional literature.

From Orkney, she left home to study music at Edinburgh College before working in London for a year as a sales executive. She then moved back to Scotland as an assistant manager for Shetland Hotels.

* STEPHEN STREET has been appointed as conference and banqueting manager for the Village Hotel and Leisure Club in Newcastle.

The 26-year-old has a marketing degree from Northumbria University and was a support manager for Pizza Hut before joining the Village in 2003 as a conference and banqueting team leader.

He is responsible for more than 20 staff, who run special events at the hotel - from weddings to business meetings and conferences for up to 250 people.

* WENDY WILSON has been appointed marketing manager at Service Network.

The organisation supports the professional and business service sector in the region.

Ms Wilson will be responsible for promoting the membership organisation and its professional services.

She will also promote new services to members, designed to help them be more efficient and successful at accessing and winning new contracts.

She brings with her several years experience in business development, marketing and PR, including a communications and web development role with n-e-life.com, a public sector organisation, also based in the North-East.

As marketing manager, she will manage all marketing activities including planning, corporate communications, event design, sponsorship packages and website development, as well as building new relationships with regional businesses