Agenda item

The Governance and Communications Manager, Paul Mudd from XPS Administration, was in attendance and presented the Cheshire Fire Pension Board Report 2021-22 which contained the following information:-

-  Overview of Regulations and Guidance

-  Member Self Service

-  Common Data

-  Annual Benefit and Pension Saving Statements

-  Completed Cases Overview

-  Membership

-  Completed Cases by Month

-  Complaints

The Pension Scheme Manager welcomed the ‘In the Loop’ produced by XPS Administration which summarised the ‘FPS Bulletins’ and suggested that  Members and officers of the Pensions Board were include in the distribution list for future updates. The Governance and Corporate Planning Manager would provide XPS Administration with the relevant information outside the meeting.

Paul Mudd provided an update on McCloud and advised that work was being finalised on the data collection and provision of benefits going forward. Reference was made to the Framework for managing Immediate Detriment Cases and that  XPS Administration had already calculated some cases for CFRS. In response, the Pension Scheme Manager expressed her concern regarding the accuracy of the information being provided as this was being calculated manually.  She asked if, rather than just presenting the final figures, whether advice could be provided as to how the calculations had been undertaken.  This would enable CFRS to quality assure the figures to provide another check and balance to ensure accuracy.  Paul Mudd agreed that this would be helpful and advised that he would confirm this with the team.

Paul Mudd advised that the Member Self Service went live in July 2021 and correspondence was issued to all pensioners providing details on how to access the system. To date 51.1% of active members and 26.6% of retired members had registered themselves on the system. In response, the Pension Scheme Manager advised that she was disappointed with the take up from active members and asked if this could be promoted further.  It was suggested that CFRS could advertise the Member Self Service on the Intranet to encourage a higher take up rate. Paul Mudd advised that XPS Administration were currently putting together communications to promote the system and would share this with CFRS once available. George Peers suggested that if information on how to use the Member Self Service and the link was sent directly to himself he could then circulate this to the Fire Brigades Union members to promote its use. This was agreed.

Paul Mudd referred to the Annual Benefit Statement Production and confirmed that all Annual Benefit Statements were published online via the Member Self Service by 31^st August 2021. Members who do not access the system would not have seen this information.

Paul Mudd confirmed that the Scheme Return to the Pension Regulators was due today. In response, Emily Purslow confirmed that she had received confirmation from XPS Administration that this had been submitted for CFRS.

RESOLVED: That

[1]       the XPS Cheshire Fire Pension Board Report 2021-22 be noted.

[2]       XPS Administration to circulate the ‘In the Loop’ document to the Local Pensions Board Members going forward.

[3]       XPS Administration to provide guidance as to how calculations were undertaken for Immediate Detriment cases to enable CFRS to perform additional checks on the final numbers.      

[4]     XPS to send communications to CFRS to assist in the promotion of the Self Service facility.