LGPS shared procurement, LPFA board, Notts development, Caerphilly turns service provider…
0Kent leads on pensions procurement
Kent County Council is to be lead authority for the procurement of pension software solutions shared by 11 councils. Lambeth, Tameside, Hampshire, Norfolk and Essex are among the other founder members. The procurement is for a supplier to provide software to administer the LGPS, police and fire and rescue schemes.
LPFA beefs up board
Sir Merrick Cockell has been appointed deputy chairman of the LPFA. The announcement comes shortly after Sir Merrick stepped down as Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Three non executive directors have also been hired: Dermot McMullan, trustee of the Bank of America UK pension plan, Abdallah Nauphal, chief executive officer at Insight Investment and Kerry Adby, managing director at Copernican Securities.
Labour numbers show cuts hit deprived areas
Analysis from the Labour Party has found that the North of England and inner city London are hardest hit by cuts. An average of £566 in cuts to welfare and local government is found for every person in the North East, £511 in the capital and £508 in the North West. The South East was hit with £292 per person and East of England £324. The worst hit area, Knowsley in Merseyside, sees a loss of £850 per head (£515 in welfare and £336 from local government). Mole Valley in Surrey, the least hit area, loses £182 per person, just £18 of which is in cuts to local government. The figures are based on research conducted by Sheffield Hallam University and Newcastle City Council.
Nottinghamshire town to see massive development
Councillors have approved the building of up to 1050 new homes in the Nottinghamshire market town of Bingham. The plans also include a 38 acre employment site which the developer says has the potential to create between 1000 and 1400 jobs, a school, play areas and a neighbourhood centre. The development was approved by Rushcliffe Council, but the town council at Bingham objected on the grounds that adequate infrastructure to cope with the development should be first put into place.
Caerphilly profits from service provision
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is to pay Caerphilly County Borough Council £60,000 a year over five years for environmental health services. The arrangement should help Blaenau Gwent save £26,000 a year. Caerphilly is also looking to generate revenue through other pest control contracts including ones with Welsh Water.
NAO brands government savings targets ambitious
The National Audit Office has dubbed the government’s attempts to save £20bn through efficiencies in its departments ‘ambitious’. The plans, from the Efficiency and Reform Group set up to find the savings, are to find the money between 2014 and 2015. An NAO report found insufficient evidence to back up £348m of claimed savings from negotiations with ICT suppliers. It also found that less than half of the savings areas highlighted from 2011-12 were recurrent. NAO is confident of the £5.5bn savings made so far.
Belfast pension scheme looks to bond adviser
Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee has hired Wellington Management to run its £350m active bond portfolio. The committee administers the £4.1bn Belfast LGPS. Its fund has about 15% in bonds, 25% in UK equities, 50% in global ex-UK equities and the remainder in property.
Birmingham boosts jobs for youth
Birmingham City Council has launched two initiatives to get young people back into work. Young Talent for Business will see a multi-agency team work with employers to help young people access vacancies and apprenticeships. 1000 apprenticeship vacancies in 100 days will involve the council, employers, colleges and training providers to meet the target and boost the number of apprenticeships available.
