Agenda and minutes

Venue: Room E, The Hub, Service Headquarters

Items
No. Item

LPB/19/26

Conflict of Interest Declaration

Minutes:

No conflicts of interest were declared.

LPB/19/27

Notes pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Notes of the meeting held on 29 May 2019 attached.

Minutes:

The Notes of the meeting held on 29 May 2019 were AGREED.

LPB/19/28

Matters Arising

LPB/19/28a

Process for Local Pensions Disputes (Note LPB/19/21(f)

Minutes:

SP advised that there was still an outstanding action to post the Internal Disputes policy on the website.

 

LPB/19/28b

Scheme Manager Update (Note LPB/19/24)

Minutes:

SP clarified that:

·         the reference to the training allowance for USAR (item 4.1.4) was in relation to a  High Court Decision;

·         further updates on the matters in the Scheme Manager’s report for the last meeting were provided in the Scheme Manager’s report to this meeting.

 (See also Note LPB/19/32 below)

LPB/19/29

Review of Actions pdf icon PDF 497 KB

Latest iteration of Action Log attached.

Minutes:

CONSIDERED latest iteration of the Board Action Log.  MP had updated this following the management meeting in July and had added a RAG status indicating:

Green – either in progress and on track (or not started or due to start);

Amber – the issue was behind schedule or there was a marginal delay in starting work;

Red – the work had not started and/or there were serious problems or delays.

With regard to the outstanding “red” items:

·         Risk register:  SP was working through refinements.  The target was to take to the latest iteration of the risk register to the next monthly management meeting in September;

·         Performance measures:  AW, assisted by Procurement, was developing an appropriate suite of key performance indicators for use by the Board;

·         Abatement:  SP advised that a report was still awaited from WYPF to enable each case to be assessed.  This would also feature as part of the Scheme Manager’s Update to this meeting;

·         Data extraction from HR:   this would also feature as part of the Scheme Manager’s Update to this meeting

Progress against each of the above issues would be discussed at the next monthly management meeting.

(See also Note LPB/19/33 below).

LPB/19/30

Training Log Update pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Latest iteration of Training Log attached.

Minutes:

The latest iteration of the training log indicated that all Board Members were 100% complete on training.  While there was no prescribed national refresh frequency for training, the locally agreed frequency was two years.

LPB/19/31

Correspondence Update pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Latest iteration of Correspondence Log attached.

Minutes:

The latest correspondence log was noted. 

LPB/19/32

Scheme Manager Update

Document to follow.

Minutes:

SP introduced Caroline Gorlay (Rewards and Benefits Manager) to the Board.

The Scheme Manager update as circulated for the meeting was considered.  This covered:

·         surveys and annual returns;

·         pension communications;

·         specific pension projects;

·         breach issues.

Surveys and Annual Returns

The Benchmarking Survey from Scheme Advisory Board sought information on the cost and quality of pension administration services provided.  It was anticipated that feedback on the completed survey would form part of Scheme Advisory Board (SAB) annual conference in September, at which attendance formed part of CPD for Board members.

Pensions Communications

The Annual Benefits Statements had been key area for communications.  The Service had been delayed in providing the year end data to the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF) which had agreed an extension for the Service to provide the required data.  This data had now been manually prepared and provided to WYPF and statements had now gone into production and should be issued within the next week. In order to create a more automated approach, a report from the Service payroll system was being developed.

The Board recorded its appreciation for the work of the HR team in providing the data to WYPF.

Work was still ongoing for the production of Annual Benefit Statements for those in the Modified Scheme by WYPF. WYPF had indicated that these statements would not be completed by the deadline of the 31 August and this was across all clients. However, WYPF was working on a new system approach which would resolve this for future years.

In relation to the Annual Allowance, the Service was looking to make staff aware in promotion letters of the potential for breaching the annual allowance.  The Service had already identified and offered training sessions for staff who could be affected.

Project areas

Pensionable pay for allowances:  SP had circulated a spreadsheet on existing allowances and some where no determination had yet been made.  This would feature elsewhere on the agenda for the meeting.

Transition Protection Judgement:  an application to the Supreme Court for a further right of appeal had been rejected.  The matter would therefore be referred back to the Employment Tribunal for remedy but it was anticipated this could take up to two years.

Abatement:  A number of staff pensions had not been correctly abated and WYPF were undertaking further checks on this. It had been clarified that abatement rules would apply to people retiring and being re-employed by Red One Ltd.  SP would check why abatement did not, apparently, apply to the 2015 Scheme and advise members of the LPB accordingly.

Two Pensions:  Some individuals had had more than one pension split applied.  WYPF had identified the individuals and had put revised figures in place.  There were still outstanding cases to be addressed.

Reporting breaches

The Pensions Regulator had written to advise that it did not intend to take any enforcement action over the reported breach arising from the late publication of the Annual Benefits Statement.  Additionally, the issue relating to two [split] pensions had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item LPB/19/32

LPB/19/33

Pensionable Pay

To discuss pensionable status of allowances paid by the Service.

Minutes:

SP circulated a spreadsheet identifying areas where decisions on pensionability had been reached and three areas where decisions were still required:

·                Special Activity Allowance:  the payment was not calculated in accordance with ordinary rate of pay and consequently failed to satisfy all of the Blackburne principles.  For this reason, the Board considered that this allowance should not be pensionable;

·                Specialist Rescue Additional Responsibility Allowance:  The Grey Book stipulated that this allowance was not pensionable.  Additionally, the allowance did not satisfy the Blackburne principles for a pensionable benefit. (AW did not agree as she felt this was part of their role).  Accordingly, the consensus of the Board was that this should not be pensionable;

·                Dog Handlers Allowance:  SP circulated a document setting out what was expected from the role.  AW sought clarification on whether this was for work undertaken.  SP confirmed that this was for the welfare of the dog at home i.e. was not work done in the performance of the duties of the role.  An additional 10% of basic pay was already payable for undertaking the role.  SP referred to the Medway case history which required the activity to be both regular and in ordinary course of duties in fulfilling contractual requirements.  SP advised the additional 10% was to cover activity that is associated with the care of the dog at home and voluntary standby during rota and leave. The consensus of the Board was that this failed to meet all of the Blackburne principles and consequently was not pensionable.

AGREED that SP discuss these allowances with the Representative Bodies on the basis that they be non-pensionable.

LPB/19/34

TPR Self-Assessment

To discuss refresh of self-assessment.

Minutes:

MP suggested that the Board might wish to undertake either an annual or twice yearly refresh using the Pension Regulator’s self-assessment tool.  Ideally, this would require participation by both Scheme Manager and Scheme Member representatives.  The time commitment would be approximately two hours before the end of September.

AGREED that both AH and PR be invited to participate in the self-assessment refresh.

LPB/19/35

LPB Roles and Responsibilities pdf icon PDF 76 KB

Document attached.

Minutes:

CONSIDERED document as circulated by MP.

The document was AGREED subject to the addition of the word “Local” before Pension Board.

 

 

LPB/19/36

LPB Work Programme pdf icon PDF 418 KB

Document attached.

Minutes:

CONSIDERED document as circulated by MP aimed at shaping the agenda for future meetings.

The Work Programme was AGREED subject to the addition of an annual meeting with West Yorkshire Pension Fund.

LPB/19/37

Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday 30 October 2019, 15.00hours.

Minutes:

30 October 2019 at 15:00hours.