Latest news with #LocalGovernment
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Government's pension merger plan could cost Brits millions
The government has announced plans to merge pension pots, but the move could cost Brits millions of pounds, experts have warned. The police was originally a Conservative one, belonging to the 86 funds in the Local Government Pension Scheme, which collectively holds the retirement savings of 6.7 million Brits who are or have been employed by local government. Now, the Labour government has brought it back as part of the Fit for Purpose consultation, which aims at reducing the costs involved in managing the investments. Read more: Millions of UK households told to spend £49 before end of Friday However, experts have raised concerns about its implementation, with the LGPS addressing the issue at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association's annual local government conference in Bedford, the Daily Express reports. Under the proposals, government and regulatory approval needs to be given for a fund to set up as a superfund. If it does not get approval, it will need to merge with a fund that has got approval. Jennifer Devine, head of Wiltshire pension fund, part of the Brunel Pension Partnership said: 'This is going to be a really costly process for us as well, those 21 funds who didn't get the green light to go forward are being quite heavily penalized here. 'Really, there will be costs in leaving our pool. You can't move billions of pounds without spending millions of pounds. "The understanding I have from speaking to the central government is that that's just on us. Those are on our costs, and we just have to weather them.' The Express spoke to other delegates, with one saying: "When a fund doesn't get permission to go forward, and therefore has to merge with a fund that has then what happens is that you are effectively winding up a company, in order to merge with another." "Think of all the costs involved in that, it's not going to be cheap and it could run into the billions of pounds." Another delegate said: "It won't be the pension funds paying the costs, because these pensions are guaranteed to pay out, any cost will have to be met by central government which means the taxpayer." Join our dedicated BirminghamLive WhatsApp community for the latest updates sent straight to your phone as they happen. You can also sign up to our Money Saving Newsletter which is sent out daily via email with all the updates you need to know on the cost of living, including DWP and HMRC changes, benefits, payments, banks, bills and shopping discounts. Get the top stories in your inbox to browse through at a time that suits you.
Barnama
a day ago
- Health
- Barnama
Kelantan Records Decline In Dengue Cases, Wolbachia Mosquito Release Shows Results
KOTA BHARU, June 20 (Bernama) -- The number of dengue fever cases in Kelantan dropped by 12.5 percent, with 875 cases recorded in the first half of this year compared to 1,000 cases during the same period last year, said State Health director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin. However, he noted that the number of dengue outbreaks rose to 66 from 50 in the same period, although no fatalities were reported. 'This year, there have been no dengue hotspot localities in Kelantan. The current trend remains low, with 17 cases reported in epidemiological week 24. 'Kelantan currently ranks ninth among Malaysian states with the highest number of dengue cases,' he told Bernama at the Gotong-Royong Mega Perangi Aedes 1.0 launch and release of Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes, officiated by state executive councillor for Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment, Hilmi Abdullah. Dr Zaini also reported that 180,414 premises have been inspected for Aedes mosquito breeding grounds in Kelantan as of mid-June this year, resulting in 501 compounds issued, amounting to RM250,000. He said a total of 73,900 Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes have been released in Pondok Terusan, Pasir Tumboh, and Kubur Maras, Kota Bharu in 2021, and in Bandar Baru Kubang Kerian today. He noted that no dengue cases have been reported in Pondok Terusan since the release, compared to 134 cases over the previous five years. 'In Kubur Maras, only two dengue cases have been recorded, one each in 2023 and 2024, compared to 81 cases in the five years before 2021,' he said. Dr Zaini added that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has spent an estimated RM705,500 over the past four years on dengue control efforts in Pondok Terusan and Kubur Maras.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Study to possibly turn Tropicana Field into a convention center underway
The City of St. Pete and Pinellas County are coming up with options for what to turn Tropicana Field into after the 2028 baseball season.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Beltrami County Historical Society to host Women of Local Government program
Jun. 17—BEMIDJI — The Beltrami County Historical Society will host a public panel titled "Women Elected to Lead: Voices from Local Government" at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 21, at the Beltrami County History Center. As part of an ongoing series recognizing the significant impact of women in shaping Beltrami County, this panel will feature three women with firsthand experience in public office. Local historian Lois Jenkins will moderate the discussion and offer historical context about women who have served in elected office throughout the region. Panelists include: * Rita Albrecht, who served four terms as mayor of Bemidji following her election in 2012. She previously served on the Bemidji City Council and has been a longtime advocate for sustainable land use and public engagement. In 2021, she was appointed co-chair of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. * Gwenia Fiskevold-Gould, current Bemidji City Council representative, who has been active in discussions surrounding community infrastructure, business development and neighborhood engagement. * Elaine Fleming, who made history in 2003 when she was elected the first female and first Ojibwe mayor of Cass Lake. She served two terms and has remained active as a professor at Leech Lake Tribal College and host of the radio program "History of Leech Lake." She is also known for her environmental advocacy and oral history work. Panelists will explore the challenges, responsibilities and rewards of local leadership and the importance of civic participation and representation, a release said. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information about this event, visit or contact the Historical Society at (218) 444-3376 or via email at depot@
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Security allowance for local councilors to be quadrupled
Local councillors will soon be able to claim back four-times the amount currently permitted for personal security measures due to fears over intimidation and harassment of politicians. The €2,500 security allowance for local authority members will rise to €10,000 under reforms agreed by the Department of Local Government . Measures considered under the security allowance include intruder alarms, fixed panic buttons and CCTV cameras. Representative groups for local politicians had told the department the existing scheme is deficient, too limited in its scope and carried with it a range of impractical administrative requirements. READ MORE Minister of State for Local Government John Cummins had previously flagged potential changes to the scheme. It will in future be closer to the grant offered to TDs and Senators, who can claim up to €25,000 to enhance their personal security. Only 23 out of 949 county or city councillors have availed of the scheme under its current form, which allows the lesser amount of either €2,500 or 50 per cent of the cost of the measures to be refunded. Under the reforms, the new €10,000 maximum would cover up to 100 per cent of works undertaken, while members who previously paid for up to half of the cost will be able to apply for reimbursement. Mr Cummins has said public representatives should not feel unsafe while serving their communities. He has told the Seanad it is unacceptable that councillors are being subjected to threats, targeted abuse and intimidation. There are fears within the political system that the level of abuse and threats is leading would-be candidates or elected politicians to stay away from or withdraw from public life. In a letter to Mr Cummins earlier this year, the Association of Irish Local Government asked for an allowance comparable to that given to Oireachtas members to alleviate the security concerns of local politicians. Many councillors operate from their family home, which entails increased risks for them and their families, it said. The scheme for national politicians was similarly affected by a lack of take-up after it opened, with four politicians applying for the security allowance as of January of last year. This increased to 11 over the rest of the year. Its first iteration was limited to a payment of €5,000 to cover up to half the cost of works. The amount was raised last year. To avail of the scheme, councillors will need a report from a Garda crime prevention officer.
