Agenda item

Paper attached.

CONSIDERED paper summarising current pension matters both locally and nationally which required input from the Service. In particular, the paper addressed:

FPS Administration, Management & Governance Strategy

This document, based on the LGA template and customised as necessary to reflect the position for the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Authority, had been produced and was awaiting sign-off in the Service Policy Management System prior to publication on the website. 

(See also Minute LPB/22/35 below).

Pension Communications – Annual Benefit Statements (ABS)

West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF) had advised that, while the ABS for all eligible members had been issued by the deadline of 31 August 2022, the Statement did not take into account the 2015 Remedy position but provided detail on the proposed Remedy and indicated when relevant projections would feature on future Statements.

Pension Projects - 2015 Remedy (Sargeant)

The Service was seeking to address uncertainty over the Age Discrimination Remedy by contacting all members affected by Immediate Detriment to outline information and resources currently available pending implementation of the Remedy from October 2023. Additionally, the HMRC and Home Office position on treatment of Immediate Detriment continued to be closely monitored. Scheme Member representatives could also assist in ensuring clear, correct information was disseminated. WYPF was also seeking to produce a composite information source to assist individual firefighters.

The Service had paused processing Immediate Detriment cases following receipt, in March 2022, of a letter from HMRC highlighting significant legal and financial issues for fire and rescue authorities processing such cases prior to implementation of the Remedy. The Service was, though, awaiting issue of a revised LGA/FBU Framework on processing Immediate Detriment cases, based on legal advice obtained both by the FBU and LGA. Once received, the Service would review its position on the processing of Immediate Detriment cases.

Reporting Breaches of Law

There had been no breaches to report since last meeting.

Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP)

Two complaints under the Procedure had been received since the last Board meeting.

Pension Administrator Quality of Service

The Service continued to collaborate with WYPF and to review, periodically, the arrangements in place to identify potential improvements. It had been noted that there was no clear alignment between the KPIs listed in the Service contract and the monthly reports issued by WYPF. Issues had also been identified in recent months on the time taken by WYPF both to update member records following submission from the Service and for some other administrative processes, such as setting up deferred benefits and merging pension accounts. These issues would be addressed at the contract review meeting scheduled for early October 2022. See also Minute LPB/22/27 above.

WYPF advised of a high-level review it was conducting on KPIs, to seek to ensure greater consistency and accuracy.

Key Performance Indicators

For 10 out of the last 12 months, the Service had achieved the KPI for submission of monthly pension reporting to WYPF by the last day of the month.

During the period since the last report, the Pay & Conditions team had submitted one notifications of normal retirement to WYPF outside the SLA of 5-days of receipt. Since the last report, there had been 6 retirements, two of which had not been submitted within the six-week SLA. This was being investigated to identify the cause of the delay.

The Pensions Officer was currently seeking to develop a “Pensions Dashboard” and was liaising with WYPF to review additional data reports readily available.