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Well here's an interesting question....
As the combined WA/CA operation claims to create the largest archaeological undertaking in the UK will the proposed merger be subject to investigation by the Competition Commission?....My understanding is that an investigation can be invoked if a body created by merger supplies more than a 25% share of the UK market...
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...
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Interesting development, although of course nothing will be set in stone until the due diligence process has been completed. The larger organisation would of course be able to take advantage of economies of scale, and I'm guessing that this is one reason behind this proposed merger, as well as extending its market reach.
As far as invoking an investigation by the Competition Commission is concerned, I think is highly unlikely, as I doubt very much whether the merged organisation would supply anywhere near a 25% proportion of the UK market - its overall share of the market is more likely to be in single figures or the low double figures at the most. Our profession is afterall very fragmentary, with large numbers of SMEs making up the majority of the market.
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Foe all the benefits available to those working for a large organisation, I am extremely worried about the impact this merger may have on small and medium sized units who have to compete, as I think they could easily be muscled out by the resources of such an organisation. I think Wessex is quite big enough already (and that goes for Oxford etc as well). The expansion of the super-units across England could in the long term lead to privatised central units and I don't see that as good for wages etc, we might as well go back the EH Central Unit of decades gone past.
Perhaps I'm being unduly sceptical, but I believe a degree of regionality is a good thing - based on knowledge not just corporate practice.
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are the wessex pensions council pensions like cotswolds?
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No - the Wessex pension scheme is an independent one with no connections whatsoever to any county council.
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Good luck to them!
There is however a shortage of really big organisations that can do the really big project like Rail link or Terminal 5 and that shortage has just got worse. But what are they going to call themselves - Cotwes - Wescot- and who will be in charge?
Peter
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Hmmm... giant megalithic companies always make me a bit wary.....
It's got to be COTSEX! :p
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I think its interesting that Wessex which grow out of WAC and the then Department of the Environment funded county archaeology committees of Berkshire Dorset Hampshire Wiltshire and the isle of Wight managed without council pension provision. I don’t know how many are still there from the eighties but presumably at sometime they must have made a commendable transfer to a company pension. This appears to be unlike the experience of many other ex county units including for example Cotswolds which still have 25 members of Gloucestershire County Council Pension Fund buried in their midst’s. I am surprised the wonderful example of Wessex was not proposed for these other units. Presumably the Cotswold martyrs will be transferred into the secret Wessex pot.
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I have been informed that OXFORD AND WESSEX ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT A MERGER -- WTF IS GOING ON!!!!
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yes - a "national" approach is needed - but this MUST NOT be a commercial outfit - a public or professional organisation is needed, not a private company (or 'charity')...
serious attention needs to be paid as to whether this is in fact a Monopoly, and as to whether this will in fact deliver 'best value' for the public of this country...let alone the betterment of the profession.
