HOMELESSNESS charity Tyneside Cyrenians has announced six key senior appointments to its team.

RANJANA BELL, JAMES RAMSBOTHAM and MIKE WORTHINGTON have joined the charity's board and OLLIE BATCHELOR and TONY WRIGHT, both formerly of Government Office North-East, and VAL NEVIN, previously with Business in the Community, have taken up full-time appointments as part of the senior management team.

Ms Bell is a member of employment tribunals in England and is as a commissioner of the Women's National Commission.

Mr Ramsbotham is chief executive of the North-East Chamber of Commerce. Mr Worthington was chief probation officer for Northumbria Probation Service until his retirement in 1999.

Stephen Bell, chief executive of Tyneside Cyrenians, said: "We are absolutely delighted to announce these appointments. Our new board members and managers are experts of the highest calibre and experience, and we are very pleased that through our innovative work we have attracted their attention and that they have chosen to invest their efforts in supporting our work."

* THE chief executive of regeneration agency Sunderland arc TOM MACARTNEY is to leave the group after five years in May to head one of the first City Development Companies in the UK.

Operations director David Walker will take over at the arc as interim chief executive.

Mr Macartney said: "This new role represents such a great opportunity for me and my family that I felt I had to take it. Having said that, I wouldn't be leaving if I didn't believe that Sunderland's regeneration had been set on such a firm footing."

Sunderland arc has recently been working on numerous redevelopment schemes in the city, including the former Vaux brewery site and Stadium Park. It also plays an integral part in the regeneration of Sunniside.

Deputy chairman John Anderson said: "The arc's board is highly appreciative of the fine work Tom Macartney has done for Sunderland. He has laid firm foundations for the city's regeneration."

l THE University of Teesside has strengthened its managerial team to support vice-chancellor Professor Graham Henderson by appointing two deputies.

PROFESSOR CLIFF ALLAN is the new deputy vice-chancellor (development). In 2000, he helped to set up the Learning and Teaching Support Network, which combined to form the Higher Education Academy in York, of which he was deputy chief executive.

Joining Prof Allen is PROFESSOR CLIFF HARDCASTLE, who becomes deputy vice-chancellor (research and enterprise). He was formerly Dean of the school of built and natural environment at Glasgow Caledonian University.

l TWO accounting apprentices have set their sights on high flying careers after securing training places with Durham-based Clive Owen and Co.

LORNA COOK, 21, and 20-year-old LIZZIE THOMSON have been gaining work experience with the Aykley Heads accountant, while completing extra theory and practical training with Chester-le-Street-based apprenticeship provider Durham Business Club.

Ms Cook studied for her Association of Accounting Technician exams for three years with the business club, and scored one of the area's highest pass marks in August last year, while continuing her day job as an office manager.

Nicky Bellerby, of Clive Owen and Co, said: "We are really impressed with the ease that both Lorna and Lizzie have settled into their roles within the team here.

"Both girls are incredibly bright and enthusiastic members of our team and I'm sure they will see considerable success over the next few years of their training and beyond."

l EXCAVATOR manufacturer Komatsu UK has appointed two modern full-time apprentices at its Birtley plant, near Chester-le-Street.

SARAH WILSON is administration assistant in the sales administration team after completing her three-year modern apprenticeship in only two years. Ms Wilson has market responsibility for a number of distributors and deals with inquiries on availability, planned shipments and current orders.

Joining her is DAN SMITH, who has completed his design modern apprenticeship and has been taken on as a temporary technical assistant in design. His new role sees him administrate 2D and 3D CAD systems in design, providing engineer support and producing and editing images for use in technical publications as well as looking after the online KES system.

l A NEW director has been appointed by Wynyard Park Ltd, the company behind the development of a 700-acre business park, at the junction of the A19 and A689 (A1 link road) in Teesside.

DAVID SALKELD - who works for Helios Properties, part of the consortium behind the Wynyard Park scheme - is to take responsibility for the next stages of development for the business park as development director.

A chartered quantity surveyor, who has lived and worked all his life in County Durham, Mr Salkeld has previously worked for national contractors Laing, Shepherd Construction and Willmott Dixon, where he led their national development arm with several schemes in the leisure sector.

Chris Musgrave, chief executive of Wynyard Park Ltd, said: "The most important aspect of David's job will be to ensure that we have a good mix of uses and a portfolio of development opportunities that will attract companies appropriate for the feel and image that we want to create for Wynyard Park.