Agenda and minutes

The Chair will announce details of the arrangements in case of fire or other events that might require the meeting room or building’s evacuation.

The Chairman advised members of actions to take if they were disconnected from the video call.

(if any) – receive.

Apologies were received from Andrew Frater (Scheme Employer Representative). Denise Broom (Scheme Employer Representative) agreed to be Chair for the meeting.

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any items on the agenda at this point of the meeting.

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2023 (attached) and authorise the Chair to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting of 7 February 2023 were accepted as a true and accurate record.

It was requested that any actions be shown additionally in bold and at the end of the section of the meeting with the initials of the Member that needed to action.

Pension Committee Meeting minutes from 21 March 2023 attached for noting .

The Pensions Committee meeting minutes of 21 March 2023 were noted.

Report attached.

The Board received a follow up from the last meeting on the decision to monitor various items as part of a quarterly than monthly reconciliation which ensured questions were asked to ensure employers’ obligations were fulfilled for any possible Pension’s Regulator requirements.

It was explained that by July there would be a monthly check that employers were meeting their obligations against that pension’s administration strategy. A meeting would be held with the LPPA in May to discuss exactly how the requirements and their importance could be explained to employers.

The aim was then to have the first full monitoring at the end of quarter one and once all data was received there could be a monthly report.

It was hoped that at the next meeting there would be a monitoring report and it was likely there would be some stage 1 escalations initially due to employers understanding the new process and what was required of them within the specific time frame.

The Board noted the update.

Report attached.

The Board were presented with a report outlining the Code of Practice 14 and explained that the review date for this was in August and there were no major changes expected.

It was to be noted that the section highlighted in yellow was IF4 and that would be picked up as part of the employer communications campaign. There was an assurance that each employer had received a stage 1 DRP in place.

The second section in yellow, were the breaches that were due for review in August and are there because there is a requirement by the Pension’s Regulator to create a template for a register. The other issues were around new team members and Officers which required training. Any GDPR processes would be on the report and this was on the website also.

Action Point: Caroline would check on this and come back.

The Board noted the report.

Report attahed.

The Board were presented with the Risk Ratings and at the last Local Pension Board meeting any amber risks would be looked at.

It was decided that Risk 1 (inaccurate three yearly actuarial valuation)

would be taken to the next LPB meeting for discussion.

It was explained there were still some risks remaining on amber due to not knowing government guidance. It was agreed that in future categories of risks would be focused on instead of individual risks.

The Board noted the report.

Report attached.

The Board were provided with the Employer Communications plan for 2023/24 and it was explained that the plan was designed to complement and support employers when working to the Pensions Administration Strategy.

The focus was on connecting all policies and support together in one place to help employers fulfil their roles. Through monitoring the effectiveness of communications, there was a chance to review and adjust that in accordance with any feedback received.

Action Point: Caroline would look into sending a communication out about an explaining the importance of filling out and keeping an ‘expression of wish’ form up to date.

The Board noted the report.

The Board was updated on the Independent Chair situation and that the budget of £7,000 - £8,000 had been approved.

Feedback was required by the 5 May on any suggestions of what and how the Chair’s performance could be monitored. The feedback would be incorporated in the advert that would then go out mid-May.

The Board noted the update.

It was agreed that Pensions Board AGM would be moved to the 26 September meeting (or earlier in September dependent on if the new Chair would be in post by then. The meeting in June could therefore be moved to July and be a regular meeting which could accommodate the LPPA report. Action Point: Caroline would confirm the date for July.