Local Firefighters Pension Board Friday 13 January 2017 at 14:00 Oak Room, HQ
Attendees: Board Members: Cllr Darrell Pulk – Employer Representative (DP) ACFO Craig Parkin – Employer Representative (CP) Steven Bull (FBU) – Employee Representative (SB) Andrew Kelly – Employee Representative (AK) Richard Jones – Substitute Employee Representative (RJ)
Board Advisers Sue Maycock – Scheme Manager (SM) Nick Linthwaite – HR Adviser (NL) Ian Howe – Scheme Administrator (IH)
Apologies Cllr Sybil Fielding – Substitute Employer Representative (SF)
Decision log. Action . . . Agenda Commentary Outcome Item By Whom By When
1 Declarations of Potential Conflicts of Interest
None submitted.
Page 1 of 5 Decision log. Action . . . Agenda Commentary Outcome Item By Whom By When
2 Appointment of Chair
The constitution requires that the chair of the board is alternated and everyone agreed for SB to be appointed as chair.
3 Minutes of the meeting on 22 September 2016 and matters arising
Pension Board Training Policy
It was agreed to have the next meeting in June after the elections, before SB leaves and after the AGM and Fire Authority meeting.
Action: SM to prepare a paper on training for the next board. SM to prepare a paper on training SM for the next board.
National Pensions Board
Issue regarding differing treatment of temporary promotions with regards to whether or not the additional pay is pensionable. Once everyone has transferred into the CARE scheme it is less controversial but the group discussed pension contributions whilst in a temporary role. There are concerns regarding the valuation of the scheme from a national point of view if members aren’t contributing a sufficient amount. The issue could be referred to the Fire Authority, stating that the board would welcome a review of the temporary promotion policy.
Action: SM to identify what issues need to be looked at including Action: SM to identify what issues SM the definition of temporary promotion. need to be looked at including the definition of temporary promotion.
Page 2 of 5 Decision log. Action . . . Agenda Commentary Outcome Item By Whom By When
4 Pension Metrics 30 September 2016 (report)
SM discussed the Pension Metrics report.
Action: SM to find figures of wholetime and RDS separately. SM to find figures of wholetime SM and RDS separately. NFRS are the largest scheme in the tri-service region but proportionately the figures are similar for LFRS and DFRS.
5 Discretions under the Firefighter Pension Schemes (report)
SM discussed the report. SM will make the decisions on exercising discretions as the Scheme Manager on behalf of the Fire Authority. It will be published on Sharepoint once the LFPB page is set up. All agreed they have the information and have been trained on discretions.
6 Current Pensions Issues (report)
SM discussed the report. The purpose of the report is to keep everyone updated as to where we are on various outstanding issues. IH gave the group a copy of a letter to Malcolm Eastwood outlining issues that the three Scheme Managers would like the Scheme Advisory Board to take up. Feedback from the board was that the wording should be amended to remove mention of the Fire Authority and instead focus on Scheme Managers.
Action: IH to amend the letter to Malcolm Eastwood. IH to amend the letter to Malcolm IH Eastwood.
Page 3 of 5 Decision log. Action . . . Agenda Commentary Outcome Item By Whom By When
Action: SM to draft a letter from the chair of the board inviting SM to draft a letter from the chair SM Malcolm Eastwood to a future board meeting and send it to SB for of the board inviting Malcolm approval. Eastwood to a future board meeting and send it to SB for approval.
There was a discussion about the benefits of developing a pension modeller for the Fire Schemes.
Action: IH and SM to arrange a demo to see the LGPS modeller, IH/SM to arrange a demo to see IH/SM this will give all board members a chance to have a look. the LGPS modeller.
Everyone agreed the addition to appendix B. DP asked how the board reports back to the Fire Authority and suggested an annual report. This report would also inform the Fire Authority what happens in the meetings.
Action: 28th April 2017 is the Policy and Strategy Committee, SM SM/SB to discuss what needs to SM/SB and SB will meet to discuss what needs to be included in the be included in the annual report. annual report.
7 The Pensions Regulator’s Annual Public Service Governance and Administration Survey (report)
SM went through the survey and public service is progressing well and NFRS are in a good place. The group discussed training for the new board members and whether there is any refresher training available. SM to find out what the other boards do, do they have external training and do they have a high turnover of board members.
Action: SM to speak to Clair Alcock about training/refresher SM to speak to Clair Alcock about SM training. training/refresher training.
Page 4 of 5 Decision log. Action . . . Agenda Commentary Outcome Item By Whom By When
Any Other Business
Next Meeting Date of the next meeting is to be confirmed. SM to look at some dates and SM / SB discuss with SB.
Pension Board Meeting Actions (as at 22 September 2016)
SMF Discussion Subject Commentary Due By Comp Over Comment Date Date Whom due 1 22/09/2016 Pension Board SM to prepare a paper on SM Training Policy training for the next board 2 22/09/2016 Pension Metrics SM to find figures of wholetime SM 30 June 2016 and RDS separately 3 22/09/2016 National Pensions SM to identify what issues need SM Board to be looked at including the definition of temporary promotion 4 13/01/2017 Current Pensions IH to amend the letter to Malcolm IH Issues Eastwood 5 13/01/2017 Current Pensions SM to draft a letter inviting SM Issues Malcolm Eastwood to the board. 6 13/01/2017 Current Pensions IH/SM to arrange a demo to see IH/SM Issues the LGPS modeller. 7 13/01/2017 Current Pensions SM/SB to discuss what needs to SM/SB Issues be included in the annual report. 8 13/01/2017 The Pensions SM to speak to Clair Alcock about SM Regulator’s training/refresher training.
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