Public pensions review recommends higher contributions

Members of public sector pension schemes should pay higher contributions, says an independent commission led by Lord Hutton.

The change is an initial recommendation from the commission, which was set up to consider ways to cut the rising cost of public sector pension schemes.

Lord Hutton said the pensions should be changed from a final-salary basis, possibly to career-average schemes.

He is also likely to recommend that public service employees retire later.

The pension schemes cover millions of workers in the civil service, NHS, local government, education, police, armed forces and fire service.

The main problem highlighted by Lord Hutton was that people were living longer in retirement, so their pension funds had to pay them for much longer.

But he also said the final-salary nature of the schemes was "fundamentally unfair".

"[They] can lead to high-flyers getting almost twice as much back in pensions than those on more modest earnings for the same amount of pension contributions," he explained.

Big changes ahead

When setting up the commission earlier this year, Chancellor George Osborne said that the projected rise in the cost to taxpayers of public sector pensions was "unsustainable".

He called the report "impressive and substantial" and said the government would give its official response in the forthcoming spending review.

Many public sector workers argue that they have accepted lower pay than they could get in the private sector in order to benefit from better pension provision.

But, in his report, Lord Hutton rejected this: "There is no evidence that pay is lower for public sector workers to reflect higher levels of pension provision," he said.

Among the longer-term changes being considered by Lord Hutton's independent public service pensions commission are:

• changing the public service schemes from a final-salary to a career-average structure
• copying the Swedish and Dutch examples of defined-contribution schemes
• raising normal pension ages beyond their current levels - typically 65 - as longevity increases.

Cost falling already

The interim report points out that the long-term cost of funding public service schemes has already been drastically reduced.

Taken together with other changes in the past few years, such as raising the pension age to 65 for newer recruits, the schemes now cost 25% less to fund than they did a few years ago.

"All these past reforms, the current pay freeze and planned workforce reductions will reduce the future cost of pensions," the report said.

"The gross cost of paying unfunded public sector pensions is expected to fall from 1.9% of GDP in 2010-11 to 1.4% of GDP by 2060."

Gold-plated?

Lord Hutton rejected the frequently made claim that public sector pensions are gold-plated.

He pointed out that the average pension in payment was currently £7,800 a year, which he described as modest, not excessive.

And he rejected the idea put forward by employers' organisations that because private sector pension provision was poor by comparison, public sector pensions should be dragged down to the same level.

"I have rejected a race for the bottom," he said.

Joanne Segars, of the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) said: "The report dispels some of the myths about these pensions but is realistic about the need to reshape them.

"All workers deserve a good workplace pension, whether private or public sector."

The commission's final report will be published in time for the 2011 Budget.

Statue of rescue gorilla Jambo fetches £18,000

A Jersey hotel group has paid £18,080 at auction to win a life-sized sculpture of a gorilla.

Jambo is credited with guarding a five-year-old boy after he fell into the gorilla area at Jersey's Durrell Park in 1986.

The Seymour Group bought the bronze sculpture at an auction in Gloucestershire.

Silverback Jambo will be taking pride of place in one of the company's hotels in Jersey.

Levan Merritt was knocked unconscious after he fell into the enclosure on 31 July 1986.

His mother watched as Jambo - Swahili for "hello" - walked towards Levan, sat down beside him and, as if guarding him from the other gorillas, stayed with him and stroked his back until Levan was rescued by the emergency services.

Sculptor David Cemmick visited the zoo in 1987 and made sketches which the statue is based on. He created the bronze cast with mould-maker Sebastian Wylder.

Jambo lived at the zoo until 1992, when he died of a chest haemorrhage.

Pcs honoured for saving Gloucestershire Police £300,000

Two police officers from Gloucestershire have won an award for helping save the force more than £300,000.

Adrian Stratton and John Loveridge examined 1,643 mobile phones and 177 sim cards, producing forensic evidence for use in court.

Previously the cards and phones had to be sent away to be scrutinised.

The Richard Somers Award is presented annually to officers who give extra value for money to the force.

'New intelligence'

A Gloucestershire Police spokeswoman said the pair had been carrying out most of the force's phone examinations, alongside their normal duties, for the past 16 months.

"Analysis of mobile phone data is now a key part of evidence-gathering, particularly in cases involving the exchange or sale of drugs.

"Thanks to the work of these officers the monetary savings are plain to see, but there are hidden benefits such as quicker results, shorter bail dates for the more serious offences and the potential to extract a wealth of new of intelligence."

The officers will be presented with their award at a meeting of the police authority on 13 December.

Cheltenham woman arrested after man stabbed

A woman has been arrested after a 34-year-old man was stabbed in Cheltenham.

Gloucestershire Police went to the Tewkesbury Road area at about 2010 BST on Tuesday following reports that a man had been hurt.

The man was taken to Cheltenham General Hospital with stab wounds to the upper arm and shoulder and was said to be in a serious but stable condition.

The 32-year-old woman was arrested at a nearby address on suspicion of wounding and is still in custody.

Gloucestershire rescue crews urge respect for water

Emergency services in Gloucestershire are warning people of the dangers of open water after six people were saved on the River Severn in a week.

Firefighters and the coastguard rescued a man from sandbanks between Arlingham and Newnham last Wednesday.

On Tuesday, crews formed a human chain to rescue five people from a cliff edge at Westbury, saving them with minutes to spare before the tide came in.

Chief fire officer Chris Griffin said he was thankful no one was hurt.

Five fire crews, coastguards from Beachley and the Severn Area Rescue Association were deployed in the first incident.

'Treat with respect'

Three crews, a rescue boat and a helicopter attended the second incident.

Mr Griffin said: "It is easy to underestimate the speed of the incoming tide and become cut off.

"People should also be aware of the dangers of quicksand and mud flats no matter how inviting they appear to walk on."

Gloucestershire County Councillor Will Windsor-Clive said open water needed to be "treated with respect".

He said: "Thanks to the efforts of our crews, no one involved in these incidents was seriously injured, but both involved a large amount of emergency services resources.

"That is not only costly but could potentially divert resources from other emergencies."

Seagull food waste warning issued in Gloucester

The council says Gloucester has a growing gull population

Restaurants and takeaways in Gloucester have been warned of the consequences of inadvertently providing fodder for the growing gull population.

The city council has written to about 100 businesses after officers found evidence of takeaways while removing nests and eggs from rooftops.

The letters remind them they must provide bins outside their premises and keep the areas clean.

The council has introduced a "zero tolerance" campaign against litter.

Gloucester has one of the largest urban gull populations in the UK.

'Well aware'

The letters also warn that the authority can take action if the businesses fail "to provide adequate provision for litter disposal".

Councillor Andrew Gravells said: "Everyone is well aware of the problems we have with gulls in the city. We are doing all we can to combat this and are seeking national advice.

"But businesses must play their part too. It is evident that the gulls are feeding on scraps from takeaway restaurants that are dropped in the street."

He added that people caught littering face fines of up to £80.

Schoolgirl, 11, hit on zebra crossing in Gloucester

An 11-year-old girl is in hospital with serious injuries after being hit by a car on a zebra crossing in Gloucester.

The accident happened in Fieldcourt Drive, Quedgeley, just before 1600 BST on Wednesday.

The car involved was a green Honda Accord being driven by a 26-year-old man from Gloucester.

The girl was treated at the scene by paramedics, then taken to hospital in the city before being transferred to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

Police said her condition was described as potentially life threatening.

The road was closed for 40 minutes while the emergency services attended the scene.