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 Note LPB/22/42 above)

Pension Projects

(a).  2015 Remedy (Sargeant)

The Service position on immediate detriment had not changed since the last Board meeting. Consideration was currently being given to suitable communication Category Two (retired colleagues), given that all announcements on this matter to date had been internal and would not have reached those who fell into ‘Category Two’ under the Immediate Detriment Framework.

(b).  Matthews – Second Options Exercise

Since the last Board meeting, the LGA had added a section to the FPS members website specifically in relation to Special Members of the 2006 Scheme, providing overview of the Court ruling, an outline of which members were eligible and an expected timeframe for the second options exercise. The page reiterated that the government was currently drafting the scheme rules required to bring in the second options exercise in England, prior to consultation and implementation of the relevant legislation, which was expected to be in place by 1 October 2023.

Following this, FRAs would be expected to start the second options exercise and contact eligible members. The exercise would run for a maximum period of 18 months (October 2023 to March 2025).

The form circulated by the LGA would only require completion by people no longer with the Service.

Reporting Breaches of Law

Since the last meeting, two potential breaches (details of which were appended to the Scheme Manager’s Update) had been reviewed and considered reportable to the Pensions Regulator.

(See also Note LPB/22/50 below)

Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP)

Two complaints under the Procedure had been received since the last Board meeting. Both had been heard at Stage 1 and progressed to Stage 2. At Stage 2:

·         For the first case, the Stage 1 finding had been upheld (i.e. the complaint was not upheld and the appeal dismissed);

·         For the second case, it was found at Stage 2 that there was a shared responsibility to notify the Pension Administrator of retirement and re-employment. Consequently, the Stage 2 finding was not to overturn the Stage 1 decision but to reduce the requirement for overpayment from the appellant. Following this decision, the Service would be reviewing and revising as necessary, in consultation with WYPF, its processes relating to retirement and re-employment.

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. This matter had been discussed with key stakeholders at WYPF, alongside other concerns on time taken to update member records in the earlier part of 2022. It was understood that measures were being introduced to address these resourcing and administration issues. The Service would continue to monitor progress going forward.

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.

Since the last Board meeting, there had been a total of four retirements, two of which were not submitted within the timeframe of 6 weeks prior to retirement date.

Pension Dashboards Programme

This was a government initiative to allow pension scheme members in Great Britain to view all their pension entitlements online in one place. Fire schemes (along with all other public sector schemes) were required to connect to the dashboard by 30 September 2024, with a further requirement to provide information about benefits (value data) by 1 April 2025 at the latest.

Scheme managers were ultimately responsible under the regulations for ensuring that dashboard duties are met. In the coming months the Service would be liaising with WYPF to discuss plans for connecting to the dashboard, as well as reviewing current internal resourcing to meet the requirements.

(See also Notes LPB/22/42 above and LPB/22/48 below)