LAPFF Conference 2010 - Stewardship: New Strategies for Corporate Governance.

The Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF) is an association of 52 UK based public sector pension funds who manage over £90 billion of assets.

LAPFF exists firstly to protect local authority pension investments. It also uses members shareholdings to promote corporate social responsibility and corporate governance in the companies that we part own. LAPFF hold an annual conference in Bournemouth every year.

There were over 150 Councillors, pension fund officers and the investment fund industry representatives registered. I was there with other LGPS trade union reps. I last came 4 years when I took part in a panel debate on governance.

Despite the heavy snowfall most delegates and speakers were able to get here in time. I’ll try and post on some of the highlights and things that I thought interesting. Please note the usual disclaimer about the literal accuracy of all my hurried note taking.

Chair of LAPFF Ian Greenwood (Leader of Bradford Council) started the conference with an Actuary joke (specialist financial advisers to pension funds). An Actuary dies and goes to heaven. At the pearly gates St Peter asks the Actuary what he had done in his 127 years on earth to justify going to heaven? The Actuary replies he is only 84 years old not 127? St Peter replies “No, you must be 127 I have seen the hours you have charged” (Well, I thought it was funny).

I’ll post on the speakers and debates later.

Snow on the Bournemouth beach

I'm in Bournemouth for the LAPFF Pension conference.  It started snowing late last night and this morning before breakfast instead of my usual Bournemouth run along the beach in shorts and tee-shirt, I wrapped myself up with loads of layers and walked along the Pier and beach in hiking boots. It must be horrible for people travelling or working outdoors but I don't think I have ever walked along a beach in thick(ess) snow.  I'll post on LAPFF Conference later. 

UNISON NDC 2010 – Tuesday morning

I started the first day at conference with a glorious early morning jog in the sunshine along West Cliff headlands,  I went as far as the Tropical Gardens then back along the beach towards the Pier. The branch secretary of Waltham Forest and assistant branch secretary of Havering passed me bye at a great pace (they are real runners – nothing personal I am sure :).

Back at the hotel I carried on writing a speech, then had a spot of breakfast then more speech writing followed by a walk down to Bournemouth International Centre for NDC 2010 and a 10am start.

This morning’s business started off with the President’s address; Standing orders committee reports (no real bun fight for a change – just a little  local difficulty with Somerset). Next was the annual report and UNISON accounts. There was a good debate on Social Care which I watched in the UNIZONE while finishing off a speech. There was then apparently some excitement on the conference floor over PFI and ultra left grandstanding - but I missed it – typical.

During lunch I went to the anti-bullying health and safety fringe (see next post)