The Pensions Network is seeking to stimulate and support regional pensions groups. Following the Icelandic bank crisis which particularly affected treasury management practitioners the CLG Select Committee said:
“We recommend that the Government, CIPFA and the LGA study ways in which local authorities, particularly smaller ones, could join together to share expertise and pool treasury management resources. The sharing of information and expertise, such as identifying banks that are in the same financial group, might have lessened the failures that occurred during the Icelandic crisis.”
It is clear that similar benefits can be achieved for pensions officers and so the Network will continue to support these where possible.
We are aware of a number of existing groups and more details about these can be found below:
London Pension Officers Forum
Chair: Nigel Cook (LB Croydon) Nigel.Cook@croydon.gov.uk
NW, Midlands & Wales Investment Practitioners Group
Chair: Gerard Moore gerardmoore@wirral.gov.uk
Secretary: Mark Forrester MForrester@worcestershire.gov.uk
Membership: Carmarthenshire CC, Cheshire CC, Cardiff CC, Flintshire CC, Lancashire CC, Powys, Rhondda, Shropshire CC, Staffordshire CC, Swansea, Torfaen CBC, Wirral MBC, Worcestershire CC
South West Investment Managers
Secretary: Anton Sweet asweet@somerset.gov.uk
Membership: Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Environment Agency, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire
Local Authority Pensions User Group
Secretary: Jo Ray jo.ray@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Scottish Pensions Group
Secretary: Joanne Hope JHope@accpf.org.uk