HACKNEY SCHOOL CENTREPIECES UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

February 14, 2012.

REGENERATED HACKNEY SCHOOL CENTREPIECES UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE.

A newly-built school in Hackney, East London, could become a model for schools worldwide when it features in a presentation at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on February 21, 2012.

The Urswick School, in its former life as Hackney Free and Parochial School, was run-down and under-achieving - but since undergoing regeneration under the Building Schools for the Future programme it has not only seen huge improvements in academic and behavioural standards, but has also had a massively positive impact upon the local community.

The Urswick School story will be part of a presentation made by Anthony Coumidis, a director of London-based international property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper, at the United Nations in Geneva, to more than 400 Public-Private Partnership practitioners from 70 countries.

Anthony’s team were independent certifiers of the project, appointed by the local authority in Hackney and the Building Schools for the Future Local Education Partnership (private sector and local authority JV organisation, Mouchel Babcock Education and Hackney Council), which involved McBains Cooper ensuring the project complied with technical and quality requirements.

“Because of our role we were provided with the opportunity to ensure the project maintained schedule and standards, but it also gave us a fantastic opportunity to chart the before and after aspects,” said Anthony Coumidis.

“We monitored the reconstruction, but we also engaged with the school; what we learnt was that not only did the new school prove inspirational on academic and behavioural levels, it also had a significant and positive impact for the local community, with the new school facilities being used out-of-hours by the local community for everything from choir practice to sports events.

“But the school also became a learning centre for other local schools, with entire classes being walked over to The Urswick School for educational experiences they’d never before experienced in, for instance, science labs.”

Anthony will be chairing the “Transforming Urban and Rural Spaces through PPPs” session.

“Such a presentation and ensuing debate and discussion will highlight what can be achieved to a wide range of representatives of influencing authorities and organisations in dozens of countries,” said Anthony.

“There’s no room for modesty here, because there is great benefit to be gained: British property and construction consultancies are the most advanced in the world when it comes to brokering, driving and delivering PPP projects, so there is a very real chance that The Urswick School could become a model for similar regeneration projects around the world.”

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Days is the premier global meeting for public sector PPP practitioners. It provides a forum for those charged with developing and implementing PPP programs to share experiences on innovations in

PPP policy, structuring, and financing. The four-day conference brings together PPP practitioners from public sector PPP units and senior PPP executives worldwide to analyze and explore innovative PPP models and key policy issues.

The PPP Days 2012 will take place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on 21-24 February 2012, and will be jointly hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the World Bank Institute and the Asian

Development Bank.

The event includes two days of presentations and debates among public sector PPP practitioners, managers and experts, followed by a full-day Business Forum open to the private sector. On the fourth day there will be a special session dedicated to case studies, while site visits to operational PPP are also envisaged. An exhibition will also run for the four days.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800 im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

@McBainsCooper

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Glasgow, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Lima (Peru), Miami and Mexico, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com

MAKING THE MOST OF LEAP YEAR – BY FLINGING THEMSELVES OUT OF A PLANE.

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

February 13, 2012.

MAKING THE MOST OF LEAP YEAR – BY FLINGING THEMSELVES OUT OF A PLANE.

Members of the Oxford team of property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper are making the most of the extra day in Leap Year 2012 – by flinging themselves out of a plane.

It’s all part of “Make Today Count”, the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’s initiative to get people using the extra leap year day to make a difference and raise funds.

The ten – nine from McBains Cooper, one from business partner law firm TWM – will skydive over an airfield in Brackley, Northants, on February 29, in a bid to raise £4,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

“The team’s well used to birds-eye views of the country, usually as part of the planning and development process for anything from a Police station to an entire housing estate, railway section, docks, road or retail park – but not usually dangling from a parachute,” said London-based Michael Thirkettle, Chief Executive, who has family affected by the challenge presented by Muscular Dystrophy.

“Muscular Dystrophy is a muscle-wasting disease which has no known cure, and the only way to find a cure is to research and research and research – and that costs money.”

Emma Harwood of McBains Cooper Oxford said: “It’s one of those occasions where you can’t decide whether you’re being brave or stupid, but the fact is that people who are afflicted by Muscular Dystrophy are both incredibly brave and incredibly inspirational.

“There are many diseases which remain completely misunderstood by much of the population, so as well as raising funds we’re also hopefully raising awareness of just what need to be done to tackle the challenge it presents.”

The ten skydivers are:

• Michael Thirkettle, London
• Adrian Southgate, Oxford
• Jamie Mead, London
• Emma Harwood, Oxford
• Joseph Sherratt, London
• Janet Belk, Manchester
• Matthew Truelove (TWM Solicitor, Surrey)
• Simon McNabb, London
• Neil O’Brien,  Manchester
• Charles Terry, London

Anybody wishing to donate can do so by going to: http://www.justgiving.com/mcbainscooperskydive

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800 im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

@McBainsCooper

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Glasgow, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Lima (Peru), Miami and Mexico, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com

CARE CRISIS: SEFTON COUNCIL’S OPPORTUNITY OF 1,600 LIFETIMES

SEFTON CARE ASSOCIATION

PRESS RELEASE

January 31, 2012.

CARE CRISIS: SEFTON COUNCIL’S OPPORTUNITY OF 1,600 LIFETIMES.

Sefton Council has the opportunity of 1,600 lifetimes to be the first local authority in the country to properly assess and fund care for the most vulnerable members of society.

That’s the view of Sefton Care Association, which represents a large proportion of care homes in the borough, following a High Court ruling which directed the council to establish the actual cost of care for the elderly in the area.

The opportunity arises following a Judicial Review in the High Court in Manchester in November 2011 in which His Honour Judge Raynor QC ruled that Sefton Council - a typical middle-sized authority - should not have frozen 2011/2012 payment levels to 1,600 elderly people in care in the borough, and that it did not pay due regard to the actual cost of covering care in making its unilateral decision.

He then directed Sefton Council to reassess care payments for the 2011/2012 financial year – but Sefton Care Association sees an opportunity for the council to set a standard and precedent for the rest of the country’s social care budget-holding authorities, not just retrospectively, but also as budget-setting deadlines approach for 2012/2013.

“Those needing care have not had one single positive word of certainty on care and support for as far back as most of us can remember; this is an opportunity for one local authority to change the prioritisation of care provision forever, and get itself a place in history,” said Mark Gilbert, a member of the executive committee of Sefton Care Association.

“Sefton Care Association has brought in Laing and Buisson – a nationally recognised research organisation - which will provide an independent report into the cost of providing care in the borough, a move which the council has not resisted. The key issues are not solely the cost of care, but also homes gaining a reasonable return on capital investment so enabling essential maintenance and upgrading of property and equipment.

“Sefton families with elderly relatives in care, as well as carers and care home operators in the borough, have been appealing to local councillors to reverse the local authority’s stance on paying for care in the area. This is a great opportunity for funding to be assessed in a sensible fashion, and provided at a realistic level.”

Dan Lingard, chairman of Sefton Care Association, added: “There’s a big gap between the cost of providing care and the level of funds Sefton Council currently allocates: families and those in care are struggling to afford the shortfall between Sefton’s current funding provision level, and the cost of care – and the care homes are doing everything in their power to bring costs down. But they’ve reached a point where there is nothing else to cut.

“Sefton Council currently pays a maximum of £510 a week towards funding of nursing care for an individual, but the indications are that the actual cost is in the region of £600 a week. Currently, individuals – many with dementia - and their families have to fund that shortfall, which most would agree is not an acceptable state of affairs.”

Ends

For further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

@Press_Relations

USE OLYMPICS TO EXPORT BRITAIN’S ENVIED GOLD MEDAL-PERFORMING CONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE.

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

January 27, 2012.

USE OLYMPICS TO EXPORT BRITAIN’S ENVIED GOLD MEDAL-PERFORMING CONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE.

Stop criticising and talking down our Olympic achievement – some of the strongest economies in the world are watching Britain and considering what we could bring to future games.

That’s the message from international property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper which says it winces every time there’s any domestically-generated criticism of London 2012 – because from a design, construction and delivery perspective it has been a gold medal-winning performance by Britain.

McBains, which works on public and private sector projects in the UK, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, is urging UK government international trade development teams to wave the flag abroad for UK construction and property businesses who have moved heaven, earth and big pieces of east London to deliver one of the most organised games construction plans ever.

“McBains Cooper already has an alliance in Brazil – the venue for the 2016 games - and we’re working in virtually every country or region, bar Japan, which are candidates for the 2020 games. But whether it’s Rio 2016, or candidates in Spain, Italy, Azerbaijan, Turkey or Qatar for 2020, there’s a common murmuring we hear every time the subject comes up,” said Michael Thirkettle, Chief Executive of McBains Cooper.

“And that is that everybody involved in construction, whether in Brazil or the 2020 candidate venues, has commented on the success of the planning and construction of everything London games-related – and more often than not it’s accompanied by some positive reference to the UK construction industry, and its professional advisers and consultancies being the best in the world.

“The fact is that in comparison to any other recent major sporting event – and some recent Olympics - London 2012 construction has run far faster and more efficiently. That has been noted by other countries, and, frankly, because of our reputation, British construction and professional consultancy businesses are amongst the very few who can travel the world to help drive and deliver major projects for other venue cities – the Olympics is a fantastic global shop window for British management expertise, design and construction skills, and that expertise can be exported to make other games equally impressive.

“The Office of Budget Responsibility reckons that a good deal of UK economic growth in 2012 will be down to the Olympics – but we shouldn’t be believing the opportunity ends when the last competitor or spectator leaves through Heathrow’s temporary games terminal: it could be the start.

“Anybody with any ability to export British construction expertise should be hot on the heels of those departing, and selling that expertise to the next successful or candidate Olympic venues.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800 im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than �100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Glasgow, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Athens, Lima (Peru), Miami and Mexico, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com

HEALTH BILL: IT DOESN’T ADD UP – SOCIAL CARE REFORM IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

QUOTES

January 24, 2012.

HEALTH BILL: IT DOESN’T ADD UP –  SOCIAL CARE REFORM IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

Commenting on today’s growing disagreements about the Health Bill, Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s group Saga, said:

“The government seems to have developed a difficulty in understanding basic maths: it wants to make £20 billion in NHS savings by 2015. The answer is in driving reform of the social care system, and get it joined up with the healthcare system.

“It costs £2,000 a week to keep an elderly person in a hospital bed, but it costs around £550 a week to provide home care or residential care.

“By getting social care sorted the problem will be solved at both ends: the vast majority of hospital admissions among the elderly are down to falls which could have been prevented if a proper social care system was in place, but once an elderly person is in hospital they end up staying there for far too long because the system is far too inefficient to provide for them going home.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

NEW COVERBOX PAY-AS-YOU-DRIVE OWNERS TAKE INSURANCE BACK 350 YEARS.

PAY AS YOU DRIVE INSURANCE

PRESS RELEASE

January 23, 2012.

NEW COVERBOX PAY-AS-YOU-DRIVE OWNERS TAKE INSURANCE BACK 350 YEARS.

Pay-as-you-drive car insurer Coverbox has been acquired by new owners - and the new business looks set to take insurance back to the 17^th century.

The new owners – one of whom established Budget Insurance, one of the UK’s most successful intermediaries with more than two million customers – plan to grow the current proposition user base, as well as introduce new insurance rating and charging processes aimed at driving pricing efficiencies, and moving away from the traditional “one price fits each demographic” model.

Coverbox Limited – which has 15,000 customers - will have new offices in Billingham and Peterborough in addition to its current Portsmouth presence, but the nature and structure of the business means there will be no changes to headcount.

Managing Director Johan van der Merwe said: “Coverbox is a telematics-based insurer – we basically monitor and assess the driving behaviour of the vehicle user via on-board technology which enables us to provide a much more accurate rate, and a very specific understanding of risk.

“The amount of information we gather from devices installed in customers’ vehicles – time and location of journeys, driver behaviour during those journeys and so on – means that we are in a position to develop much more bespoke insurance products, personalised to specific drivers.

“It also means we can reward well-behaved drivers – for instance, we all know young drivers who are maniacs behind the wheel, but we also all know young drivers who are incredibly safe and sensible behind the wheel. But the current insurance market lumps them all together as being equally high liability. We can change that.

“In many ways, the latest and developing technology in vehicle insurance actually allows us to go back to the earliest days of insurance, when underwriters sat in dockside coffee houses in the 17^th century and assessed the risk value of each and every ship leaving the port according to cargo, route, season, state of repair of the ship and level of experience of the captain.

“Even just a few years ago, people were wary – and a little scared – of the amount of ‘Big Brother’ information gathered about them, but the younger generations in particular recognise the benefits of person-specific information gathering, and are largely unworried by how their lives are monitored.

“As attitudes change from resistance to change to demand for change, the opportunity for the insurance industry to drive efficiencies, gain trust and develop new products grows.”

Coverbox Limited acquired the Coverbox business asset from technology company Wunelli.

Coverbox pay-as-you-drive insurance allows drivers to take out comprehensive cover paid for by the mile, with the price per mile varying according to the time of the day or night: off-peak, peak or “super-peak” times.

All Coverbox policyholders get free theft tracking – a £200 premium on top of a traditional insurance policy – and have a personal website enabling them to see precisely how many miles they are driving, and what the cost is. The technology behind Coverbox is based on proven equipment specified by several major car makers.

Ends

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.coverbox.co.uk

CROSS PARTY CARE TALKS: FORGET POLITICS, FIND SOLUTIONS, SAYS SAGA

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

QUOTES

January 16, 2012.

CROSS PARTY CARE TALKS: FORGET POLITICS, FIND SOLUTIONS, SAYS SAGA.

Over-50s organisation Saga says there is no room for political points-scoring in this week’s cross-party talks on care and support.

“The lives of millions of older people and the future of the NHS is at stake here. Politicians in all parties have an historic opportunity to change the way care is funded in future, to help people stay in their own homes if they can, which is what they overwhelmingly want, and to save money for the NHS by caring for them outside the most expensive hospital settings,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of Saga.

“It is desperately important that MPs take the lead in telling Ministers - who have so far proved disappointingly reluctant to grasp the urgency of the issue - that proper care reform cannot wait. There will be a White Paper in the Spring, but this must deliver a clear framework for immediate reform, with a timeline and action, not more fudge.

“Frontline care professionals are already disappointed at the delays, and we would urge whoever is chairing the meeting to stand for no nonsense, no points-scoring and no further hold-ups.

“There are mortal deadlines here, and this must not be forgotten. We are dealing with our most vulnerable citizens. 2012 must not be their year of living anxiously.

“The government needs to recognise that while they may be agonising over the cost, the reality is that people and families who need care appreciate that there’s a cost involved: but the current system is not fit for purpose. Too much is spent via the NHS and too little is devoted to social care by increasingly cash-strapped councils. The Government must deliver on its promises of ensuring millions no longer face the risk of a postcode lottery of care and of losing all their life savings to pay for care costs which taxpayers cover for others. Money for care has not been ring-fenced for care and therefore not being spent on the care that is needed by an increasingly aging population.

“Saga, now the nation's largest provider of home care, has 18,000 carers providing two million hours of care a month, and we have regular contact with millions of over-50s, many of whom are touched by the care issue. And the overriding opinion of virtually every one of them is disbelief that such a vital issue – described by the government itself as ‘urgent’ – can be taking so long to sort out.

“We call on the government to introduce meaningful reforms, encourage people to save for their future care needs and take away the biggest risks of catastrophic care costs, so people have proper incentives to save. We also need to see the Government ensuring that all local authorities are forced to plan properly for the care needs of their constituents - a ten-year plan to cope with the rising costs of caring for older people is an essential reform to ensure councils have to factor the needs of more older people properly into account.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office

01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800