The Assistant Director – Pensions presented a report to update the Authority on the Pensions Administration Improvement Plan and a consultation opened by MHCLG on the Local Government Pensions Scheme in England and Wales, Access and Protections.

Members asked whether they could be provided with a preview of the Pensions Dashboard.

The Assistant Director – Pensions assured Members that once it reached a point where it could be showcased, it will be shared either during a meeting or at a separate training session.

Members raised that in SYPA’s response to the consultation, on the normal minimum pension age issue, there is concern around category 2 members losing protection for service they have already transferred and that they may have made different decisions if this fact was known at the time and asked whether there was any prospect of challenge to this.

The Assistant Director – Pensions responded that most Funds will be raising this point in their responses to Government, to highlight that this could present a significant challenge.

The Director added that the Local Government Pensions Committee, which is the employer-side body within the LGA, was of the view that there shouldn’t be any protections, given the administrative burden it could create and the risk that this could lead to another situation like that of McCloud. The Trade Unions view is that the rights at the age of 55 are a valuable benefit to members and understand that the age must increase but want to keep protections as far as possible.

RESOLVED: Members

1. Noted and commented on the 2025/26 plans for Administration improvement that are in place.
2. Delegated the response to the consultation to officers.