By Ann Mooney and June Statham with Antonia SimonAn analysis of national labour force trends with a survey of more than a thousand employees aged over 50 and recently retired staff from local authorities found that people between 50 and retirement are a ‘pivot’ generation, combining work and care roles. Two-thirds are in paid employment, while six out of ten 50-year-olds have living parents and a third have grandchildren. 

The first major change in the Civil Service pension arrangements for thirty years has now come into effect. 

Community led partnerships and innovation are the common factors in the projects which have reached the final stage of the Award for Urban Renaissance. The finalist will be announced at the end of the month.A crime and anti-social behavour partnership in Northampton involving the police, the borough and county councils and residents association reduced the annual crime rate on the estate from 832 in 1998 to 292 in 2001.