The Secretary of State will begin recruitment for a successor in September, to have a new chair in place for the start of January 2011.

The Pensions Regulator will coordinate recruitment for its new chief executive with this timetable, to allow the new chair to be involved in selection of the chief executive.

Minister for Pensions, Steve Webb said:

“The regulator plays a crucial role protecting pension scheme members while ensuring Britain has a vibrant pensions industry.

“I have very much enjoyed working with David Norgrove.  I am grateful to him for completing, as planned, his second full three-year term and for the considerable contribution he has made. “

David Norgrove said:

“The regulator has built up a strong track record of delivering effective regulation through a range of economic circumstances, and I am confident that this resilience will continue in the future. I would also like to thank the regulator’s staff for their support over nearly six years.”

Mr Norgrove was appointed as the first chair of the Pensions Regulator in January 2005. He was reappointed in 2008, and will remain in post until his three-year term ends.

Background information

1. Primary legislation requires DWP’s Secretary of State to appoint a Chairman  of the Pensions Regulator. It also requires The Pensions Regulator to appoint  a Chief Executive, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State as to  terms and conditions.

2. David Norgrove was first appointed to the post of Pensions Regulator from  January 2005 for a term of three years. He was reappointed for a further three  year term from 01 January 2008.

3. Tony Hobman left the The Pensions Regulator in May this year to take up  post as Chief Executive of the Consumer Financial Education Body. Bill  Galvin is the regulator’s acting chief executive.

4. Recruitment to the post of Chairman of The Pensions Regulator is regulated  by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

5. The Pensions Regulator is the regulator of work-based pension schemes in the UK, with objectives to protect members’ benefits, promote good administration and reduce the risk of calls on the Pension Protection Fund. Its approach is risk-based focusing on education and enablement, with enforcement where appropriate. It has the ability to:

• collect information about pension schemes; through scheme returns, under the scheme funding regime and as well as statutory (including whistleblowing) reports;
• issue notices requiring actions to tackle non-compliance, prohibit trustees who are judged not fit and proper to carry out their duties or appoint independent trustees;
• direct pension schemes as to how to calculate their liabilities and the contributions required;
• issue a contribution notice where there is an attempt to avoid liabilities, or a financial support direction where the employer is a service company or insufficiently resourced.

Giles Coren and Sue Perkins have stepped back in time to 1975, for a four-part BBC TWO series and this accompanying book, to experience The Good Life for themselves.  In homage to Tom and Barbara, an ordinary suburban semi was transformed, and  two pigs, two goats and some chickens purchased. With experts on hand offering advice and guidance, they grow their own veg, bake their own bread and  try their hand at pottery. They customise a rotovator to provide their own transport. And their efforts are rewarded as they dine on their own homemade goats cheese and home grown produce, party on their own pea pod burgundy and step out  in stylish homemade finery.
In this book, find out how Giles and Sue lived The Good Life, and how you can to:

• Build a chicken pen

• Milk a goat

• Keep a pig

• Grow and cook your own veg

• Make your own pots

• Bake your own bread
Now a familiar TV team, Giles Coren and Sue Perkins first appeared together in a TV programme called Edwardian Supersize Me – in which they lived, ate and dressed as Edwardians for a week. It caught the imagination of viewers, and spawned two more entire series where we saw them eating their way through history, from Ancient Rome right up to the 1980s.

When not eating weird and wonderful historical delicacies with Giles, Sue is a comedian, radio and television presenter, actress, and writer. She appears on a range of popular panel and entertainment shows, including Radio 4’s Just a Minute, and BBC TWO’s QI and Have I Got News For You. She also won BBC talent show Maestro in 2008, culminating in her conducting three pieces at Proms in the Park.

Giles is a restaurant critic, newspaper columnist for The Times and Sunday Times and author. As well as writing a column for The Times under the pseudonym ‘Professor Gideon Garter’, which covers topics from his private life to politics.  He became a familiar TV face after he regularly appeared as a correspondent on Gordon Ramsey’s The F-Word in 2005

If you want to delve into the weird and wonderful while enjoying your time in California, just two short hours outside of Los Angeles lies Palm Springs. Famous for its golf hot spots, sensuous spas and idyllic honeymoons, it also harbours one of the best weird must-sees in the state. Only a short 20 minute drive up the hill takes you to a nearby desert area, Landers. Located on a magnetic vortex, is a dome shaped building built by George Van Tassel, The Integratron was originally a rejuvenation centre and time machine. The building has not only communicated with Extra Terrestrials, but apparently harbours a magic magnetic energy that leaves visitors stunned! If you want to truly experience the building’s magical energy then head for the Meteor Shower Parties which are sure to leave you buzzing! www.integratron.com

California’s vineyards not only produce some of the best wines in the world, but you can also have a wedding with a difference in their midst. Why not surround yourselves with beautiful Merlot and Pinot Noir vines as you say “I do”? A wedding at Gundlach Bundschu Winery has a luscious landscape as its backdrop and the romantic Cave Barrel Room for the most perfect private and intimate setting. www.gunbun.com/weddings

If you’ve got a thrill-seeking streak, you can experience the famous wine country at 120 mph! From the Russian River to Lake Sonoma, you can plummet over some of the most beautiful landscape from more than two miles up on your skydiving adventure before landing near the Alexander Valley Vineyards. www.skydivesf.com

Lake Shasta is the home to some spectacular caves, formed over 250 million years ago. Nowadays, you are able to hop on a catamaran and cruise over the crystal waters to reach them. You can continue your journey up into the hills, spying several of the animals that reside on the pristine mountains such as bald eagles, mountain lions and black bears. Once there, you can enjoy a picnic while the children get involved sluicing for gemstones and fossils. Who knows what they’ll find? http://lakeshastacaverns.com  

Forget party in the park, if you want to do California with a twist, then it’s all about Monopoly in the Park, and the world’s largest at that! Head to San Jose in California, and in the grounds of a spacious outdoor park, a gigantic 930 square foot Monopoly board with a pair of monster-sized dice awaits. To join in the fun, gamers wear the Monopoly pieces as headgear and move around the board after launching the oversized dice into the air. This game is great fun for families and, if parents get worn out, the park is the perfect place to unwind with a glass of California’s finest wine. www.monopolyinthepark.com

If, after Monopoly, you still haven’t had your toy fix, head to Chico in California for the Yo-Yo Museum. Not only are 80 years of yo-yos on display, but you can admire the world’s largest yo-yo weighing an impressive 256 pounds! That doesn’t sound like it is easy to play with! www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/3942

If you want to enjoy California’s sunny beach scene with a twist, Huntington Beach is the place for you! Not only is the beach sensationally sandy, but it is the World Record holder for the most riders on one surfboard. The Golden Coast successfully managed 40 riders on one giant board in 2005, and it had to be hoisted into the sea by crane! A great event to head to in the summer is the US Open Surfing Championships, so if you’re a budding surfer, see if you can rival that record! www.usopenofsurfing.com

Pasadena harbours a dark secret, waiting to be discovered. Built across a canyon linking the San Gabriel Mountains to the Los Angeles River, is the infamous Colorado Street Bridge. The monument is shrouded in mystery, as since 1913, it has been the location of numerous suicides. The admirable structure is now rumoured to be haunted, and visitors speak of a feeling of eeriness when passing over it.  www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-suicidebridge.html

In the North Hills, a 15 foot topiary poodle stands on Plummer Street and Hayvenhurst Avenue, created by resident Brian Welch. Named ‘Ivy Poodle’ the pooch is a true crowd pleaser and even wears a red ribbon collar to celebrate Christmas! www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/20439

Watts Towers in Los Angeles is a centre of art with a difference. Consisting of 17 different and diverse towers, the steel structures are adorned with mosaics made from any materials that were available to the artist, Simon Rodia, at the time. He had no access to any machinery, and so the towers were created using his own ingenuity and simple tools (including a washer’s belt and buckle!) www.wattstowers.us/watts_towers_views/index.htm

So these are the top 10 things to do in alternative California! And after your days of exploring everything the state has to offer, remember to unwind with a delicious glass of California wine, to ensure a truly Californian experience!

For more information on California Wines visit www.discovercaliforniawine.com

The official Yorkshire App locates a person’s position in Yorkshire and allows them to search for attractions and activities based on the distance to the location within a 5, 10, 15 or 30 mile radius. It also has information on the weather, enabling people to plan the best activity for the weather conditions. Additionally users can build a bespoke list of favourite things to do using the “Favourites” tab.

The Welcome to Yorkshire iPhone App also has Google Maps so users can pinpoint exact locations or use the What’s On feature to keep up to date with major events and festivals taking place in Yorkshire.

Apple claims over five billion apps have been downloaded to date and Welcome to Yorkshire is hoping its official App will spread the word about Yorkshire across the UK and internationally.

The App is so simple to use and packed full of information - it’s everything you need to know about Yorkshire in the palm of your hand.

Discover the Yorkshire iPhone App for yourself at yorkshire.com/app

GEM Motoring Assist, voted the UK’s Number One for Roadside Assistance in 2010 in the Auto Express Driver Power Survey, is committed to helping drivers make their car journeys run as smoothly as possible. Driving can be stressful enough without worrying what happens if something goes wrong so we have teamed up with GEM to offer TWO lucky readers the chance of winning a year’s FREE joint breakdown membership, each worth up to £108 and covering up to 2 drivers living at the same address.

This super prize covers you, your vehicle and up to six passengers for roadside assistance, home assistance, recovery to a destination of your choice in the UK, and also onward travel or emergency overnight accommodation, (T&C’s apply).

GEM Motoring Assist has been serving drivers for 75 years, and for more than 30 years has been providing some of the UK’s most valued car breakdown and recovery services.  The organization also has a road safety arm and aims to improve safety for all road users through the sponsorship and initiation of accident prevention measures throughout the UK.  Established in 1932 to combat the increasing number of road accidents, GEM is now the UK’s leading driver-based Road Safety association with around 65,000 members.

For more details on GEM’s Road Safety leaflets available free of charge, and lots of great deals on breakdown cover, please visit www.motoringassist.com

GEM’s Top Tips for Motorists!
• Always keep emergency supplies in your boot in case the worst happens including a torch, triangle, rug, gloves, jump leads, a bottle of water, and a fluorescent and reflective jacket / tabard
• Ensure your mobile phone is charged
• Give yourself time to check over your vehicle before you travel, particularly water levels now the weather is getting warmer
• Make sure you have enough fuel for the journey and never travel without cash

Win! For your chance to win this great prize enter this month’s quiz!

The Benchmark Wines initiative started seven years ago, to help to raise perceptions of California Wines and show the abundance of fantastic offerings from the region. Each year a panel of judges is assembled to blind taste wines grouped by price range, and this year’s choices show that great wine is available at all prices from California.

The reds have proved popular this year, with a Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and a couple of Old Vine Zinfandels making their way on to the list. The Redwood Creek Merlot 2008 in the £7-£10 category is a dark choice, full of ripe cherry and blackberry fruit flavours, perfect for barbecued meats with its firm and spicy richness.  The Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel 2008, at £9.99, is the number one selling Zinfandel in the world and offers jammy berry flavours and exotic notes from the Delicato Family’s 35-80 year old vines.

Also making it on to the list is the Loredona Pinot Noir 2008, retailing at £9.99. This wine is great for cooler evenings, with the taste of ripe strawberries, red cherries and a hint of cloves, perfect for matching with a wide range of dishes. Representing Cabernet Sauvignon on the list is the Robert Mondavi Winery Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Robert Mondavi has been hailed as the father of Californian Winemaking and this wine doesn’t disappoint. With ripe cherry and fruity flavours supported by oaky undertones, this wine is a delicious choice.  The Quady Winery Elysium Black Muscat 2008, at £9.99 is a rich, sweet dessert wine, a  full flavoured choice for wine lovers with the aroma of roses, and abundance of forest fruits on the palate.

Sitting  at the higher end of the price spectrum, the Brazin Old Vine Zinfandel 2007 (£12.99) boasts aromas of spice and mocha, with intense flavours of jammy plum, chocolate, and vanilla, whilst the Hahn Estates Syrah 2007, at £10.99, is a deep purple mix of pepper, smokiness and blackberry jam with smooth and supple tannins on the finish.

Ménage à Trois (£8.99) is an intriguing blend of white grape varieties, firm, with wonderful balance.  Amongst the white varietals, California Chardonnays and Pinot Grigios have always proved popular, so it’s not surprising that they have also made the cut this year.     For California Chardonnay, the Beringer Founders’ Estate Chardonnay 2007 incorporates coastal fruit and oak, making it enjoyable and food friendly.

The Loredona Pinot Grigio 2009 (£8.99) is crafted in a cool maritime climate, allowing the grapes to develop vibrant acidity and rich complexity, whilst the Clay Station Viognier 2009 (£9.99) incorporates rich aromas of apricots and orange blossoms and peach and guava flavours for a truly fruity palate.

Both the Bogle Chenin Blanc 2008 (£10.65), and Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay (£12.99), are great wines for those looking for a more sophisticated offering. The Bogle Chenin Blanc is a crisp and refreshing white wine, and the Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay is bursting with tropical flavours such as mango, papaya and pineapple.

As well as the abundance of red and white wine offerings on the list for 2010, the Barefoot White Zinfandel from Gallo is a true crowd-pleaser. Approachable and easy-drinking with ripe peach, nectarine and pineapple characters and hints of strawberry, this wine is perfect for summer evenings.

For more information please visit: www.discovercaliforniawine.com

Starring Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian from Strictly Come Dancing!

BURN THE FLOOR is an electrifying Latin and Ballroom dance spectacular that has thrilled audiences in more than 30 countries!

After a record breaking run on Broadway, Burn the Floor will be playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London’s West End, for a ‘Strictly’ limited run - from Wednesday 21st July to Saturday 4th September 2010.

20 dancers showcase a melting pot of styles, reinventing ballroom dancing with the energy and excitement of today’s generation of dancers.

www.burnthefloor.com

Win: For your chance to win 1 of 3 pairs of tickets to this great show enter this months theatre quiz!

Tickets are valid for Sunday – Friday performances 21 July – 4 September. Tickets are subject to availability. Promoter reserves the right to substitute prize for that of an equal or greater value if necessary. The prize is tickets only - any additional expenses are to be covered by the winner. Transport to London is not included.

Thanks to technology developed to cope with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand’s footballing skills, visitors are now being encouraged to walk on the grass.

Turf designed to cope with free kicks and sliding tackles has been laid by a team of specialists who created the playing surface for Manchester United’s Old Trafford.

A National Trust first

It is the first time we have tried using sports turf on this scale and with 150,000 pairs of feet each year, the grass, more used to the high power action of premier footballers, has a tough test.

Hidcote’s Property Manager Mike Beeston said he wanted visitors to be able to enjoy the gardens as they would their own at home.

‘We want people to walk on the grass, play on the croquet lawn and get up close to the plants but our main grass paths get very muddy whenever it rains and we have to close them regularly. So we hit upon this scheme to try the footballer’s turf.

We have installed new drainage, replaced the clay soil with specially modified soil and then laid turf on one area and used seed on another to see which reacts best.

It is exactly the same system as laid in the goal mouths at Old Trafford and on many other sports pitches. Our visitors tend to shuffle along looking at the garden so it will be interesting to see how the grass holds up under that use, rather than the way footballers would use it.’

The two newly laid areas are now open allowing visitors to get closer to the plants and enjoy their visit over the summer while the grass gets taken through its paces.