Meeting Details

At its inaugural meeting on 22 July 2015 the Board appointed the Deputy Chief Fire Officer as Chair to hold office until a Chair had been appointed in accordance with the process to be agreed by the Fire Authority (as the Scheme Manager) at its meeting in October.  At that meeting the Authority agreed that the Chair of the Pension Board should be appointed by the Board itself.  The Board is, therefore, asked to decide whether it wishes the Deputy Chief Fire Officer to continue in office as Chair. 

The Board is asked to receive the minutes of the inaugural Pension Board meeting, attached marked 3, held on 22 July 22 2015, and agree that they be signed as an accurate record of that meeting.

Board members are reminded that they should declare any interests or responsibilities, which may lead to conflicts of interest in the subject area or any specific agenda item of this meeting.  A conflict of interest is defined as a financial or other interest, which is likely to prejudice a person’s exercise of functions as a member of the Pension Board.  It does not include a financial or other interest arising merely by virtue of that person being a member of the Firefighters’ pension Scheme.

The Board is asked to receive and accept the revised terms of reference, attached marked 5, as agreed by the Fire Authority at its meeting on 7 October 2015.  The revision made was to reduce the quorum for a meeting from four to three.  The rationale for this decision was that, if the quorum had been set at four and a member were to be conflicted out, the Board would not be able to meet.

On 25 January 2016 the Local Government Association (LGA) Firefighters’ Pension Adviser emailed to provide an update on the establishment of the Fire Scheme Advisory Board.  It was the LGA’s understanding that a recommendation was made to ministers in December 2015 relating to the appointment of board members and chair.  However, due to the transfer of ministerial responsibilities between the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Home Office, this is now further delayed.  She was unable to provide a timescale at the time of her email but undertook to provide a further update as soon they are able.

Specific training on firefighter pension schemes and on the role of a Pension Board was designed and delivered by the Pensions Department of Shropshire Council to Board Members on 22 January 2016.  This training was offered to other Fire and Rescue Services in the Region and Hereford and Worcester Pension Board members attended.  The cost of this training is to be shared between the two Services. The presentation slides from the training session are attached, marked 7a.  Feedback from Board members regarding the session would be welcome.

The LGA’s Firefighter Pension Adviser attended a regional human resources conference in the West Midlands in November 2015 to provide a briefing on firefighter pensions.  The presentation slides are attached marked 7b.

The Board is asked to commit to completing a learning needs analysis with the Service Development Officer within the next two months.  Attached, marked 7c, is a document from the Pension Regulator website, which will assist in this process.

The Chair has requested that the Blue Light Pensions Newsletter is circulated to Board members.  Accordingly the latest editions are attached, marked 8a, 8b and 8c.

The Board is asked to consider whether officers should approach KPMG to ascertain what training they provide for Pension Board members.

The Board is asked to consider and agree the draft Pension Board Work Plan 2016 attached, marked 9.

The Board is asked to note the Risk Register, attached marked 10, and to raise any areas of potential risk.

Board members are asked to bring their diaries with them in order to agree the date of the next meeting.