South Yorks, RBS bad bank, Scottish Futures Trust, Probation pensions, Homeless fund
0Combined authority for South Yorkshire
Nine councils in South Yorkshire are looking to create a new combined authority with responsibility for transport, economic development and regeneration and transport. Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield, Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales and North East Derbyshire are set to seek approval for the move, with local government minister Brandon Lewis saying that it would “boost economic growth and drive forward business success.” Councils in West Yorkshire and the North East are already looking at similar plans.
RBS ‘bad bank’ split too costly – Fitch
Ratings agency Fitch has said that the cost of implementing a split of RBS, as currently being considered by the government, would outweigh the benefits. The comment comes in the light of good half year earnings from RBS based on “an increasingly robust balance sheet”.
Scottish Futures Trust saves millions
The body set up to improve value for money in public infrastructure investment in Scotland, the Scottish Futures Trust, saved the country £132m last year according to its latest figures. It has been working with councils as part of the Scottish Government’s Schools for the Future Programme. Chairman Sir Angus Grossart said: “Central to SFT’s progress is that we have worked hard to establish strong strategic alliances with local authorities, health boards and other public bodies in Scotland. Those alliances allow SFT to bring additional investment and a strong professional ethos to help deliver public sector construction projects.”
Probation trust pension funds merge
The Ministry of Justice is to merge 35 probation trust pension funds into one LGPS fund. The move comes as a consequence of the disbanding of the current 35 probation trusts and the creation of 21 private sector Community Rehabilitation companies. A spokeswoman from the department said: “We’re working towards a single LGPS fund to host the pensions of all existing and former probation staff. At the moment, we’re seeking expressions of interest from administering authorities.”
Councils share homeless families fund
Croydon, Crawley, Barking and Dagenham and Hounslow are among the councils who will share £1.9m to help homeless families. The DCLG funding aims to reduce the number of families left in bed and breakfast accommodation for more than six weeks. Croydon is one of the 15 local authorities which account for 80% of families in the UK left in temporary accommodation for longer than the six week legal limit.
Walsall to find an extra £20m
Walsall Council must make an extra £20m in savings over the next five years after changes to its government grant. This year it has made £13m of savings through measures including scrapping 166 posts, closing public toilets, increasing market rents and suspending garden waste collections for three months in the year.
Derbyshire embarks on housing regeneration
Work has started on a £10.5m regeneration scheme in North Derbyshire. Post-war properties are being demolished and replaced with new council houses, with work underway in Killamarsh, North East Derbyshire. Ninety nine existing houses with long-term structural problems on two sites will be replaced with 130 council homes. The council along with two history groups is looking at preserving two of the old homes, known as Tarrans, and re-building them as living museums.
