Agenda item

To receive a report from the Chief Financial Officer providing an update on the development of key items.

The report was introduced and Officers led Members through the report highlighting the development of key items.  The position regarding additional pension benefits and temporary promotions was set out and Members noted that information on additional pension benefits would be provided at the next Pension Board meeting.  Members also noted that in relation to ill health and injury pension review work, this was now being undertaken by Human Resources and the Board would be updated in due course. 

Members discussed the new training needs analysis form which was set out at Appendix A.  It was heard that this was required to be completed to demonstrate that the Board was addressing training needs.  It was felt that a short training session would be useful, following on from some future formal meetings of the Board, and this would be factored in.

Members discussed the proposed Annual Allowance Factsheet (at Appendix B) which aimed to provide clarity to Pension Members around Annual Allowance (AA).  The Pension Input Period (PIP) was explained and Members of the Board felt some clarification of the Standard AA table on page one of the factsheet was needed.  With this clarification, Members were content to endorse the Annual Allowance Factsheet.

The position regarding other key issues such as Presentations, Surveys and Allowances was explained.  Members heard that the Allowances and Additional Responsibility Allowances project was progressing and handbooks relating to pay and allowances and additional responsibility allowances were out to consultation with the Unions.  New governance processes with more stringent controls would be put into place for Allowances and also Additional Responsibility Allowances, with the Blackburne Principles applied in each case.

The Board was updated on Annual Benefit Statements and Member Self Service and Members were pleased to hear that the registration process for Member Self Service would ensure an easier registration process for users.  Communication to advertise the rollout of the new software upgrade and to encourage the use of this service would also take place.

Members were also updated on Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) Reconciliation and it was noted that HMRC had given all Pension Services until December 2018 to reconcile their membership with HMRC records.  Attention was drawn to Appendix C which detailed a timeline of statutory pension activities which was requested by Members at the previous Board meeting, and communications would be timed around these.

Appendix D of the report was highlighted, which set out a draft Opt Out Survey letter, and Members were invited to comment.  Officers highlighted that there was a spike in optant outs for 2016/17 for whole-time firefighters, and the opt out survey letter would be sent to those not in the Fire Pension Scheme and establish why they had chosen not to be a member.  The Board raised questions regarding the statistics and the breakdown of these between the different watches, and different employment contracts.  It was felt that clarification was needed in relation to the first bullet point in the letter at Appendix D, and Officers also noted that not all surveys sent out would be completed.  With the clarification of the first bullet point in the survey letter, Members were content to endorse the opt out survey letter.

Members were also asked to endorse a new letterhead for use by Hampshire Pension Services, and new options for the letterhead were set out at Appendix E, alongside the current letterhead.  Officers set out the reasons for the proposed changes to the letterhead and after discussion, Members of the Board were content with Fire Letterhead Option 2, but with the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service logo on the top left hand side.  With this change, Members were content to endorse Fire Letterhead Option 2.

RESOLVED:

That the HFRA Hampshire Firefighters’ Pension Board recommends:

(a)  That the request for training as set out in paragraphs 5-6 and Appendix A be noted;

(b)  That the Annual Allowance factsheet, as set out in paragraphs 8-9 and Appendix B be endorsed;

(c)  That the timeline for Statutory pension deadlines, as set out in paragraph 30 and Appendix C be noted;

(d)  That with some further clarification, the opt out survey letter, as set out in paragraphs 31-33 and Appendix D be endorsed;

(e)  That with some formatting changes, the Fire Letterhead Option 2 as set out in paragraphs 34-37 and Appendix E be endorsed to be used by Pension Services.