Council employers, unions and the private sector are being consulted about future plans for the rules governing pension arrangements in outsourcing. Currently, firms and voluntary bodies which win contracts to provide local government services have two pension choices to offer staff transferring. They can either assume admitted body status, which allows transferring staff continued access to the local government pension scheme, or they can provide a broadly-comparable scheme. But companies and voluntary bodies have expressed concern that they face higher-than-expected pension costs and liabilities which impact on their willingness to bid for council work. And they complain that some councils are insisting contractors offer admitted body status in order to win work, contrary to procurement rules. Details on the consultation, which ends on 10 April, is at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ localgoverment/admittedbodystatus
