5 March 2024

In attendance

Jonathan Castle (JC) Chair, CFO - Delegated Scheme Manager
Hayley Ryder (HRy) Head of Payroll & Pensions
Peter Steenhuis (PS) Superintendents Association Representative
Paul Mudd (PM) XPS Governance and Communications Manager
Dan Pearce (DP) Kent Police Federation General Secretary
Graeme Hall (GH) XPS Head of Public Sector Relations
Kevin Kirby (KK) Kent & Essex Police Pension Governance
Neil Kennedy (NK)

Apologies:
Neil Mennie Kent Police Federation Chair
Emma Bassom Administration Support

1. Conflict of interest

No conflicts of interest declared. New declaration of interest form to be completed, attached in meeting papers.

2. Previous minutes

• DP advised discussion around contingent decisions not highlighted in minutes and actions. Force to ensure communication with members. Work done around the action as to be discussed in next agenda item.
• Previous minutes approved to be accurate subject to minor wording change.

3. Actions and updates

Action 01/23: Action discharged.

Action 02/23: Action discharged.

Action 03/23:
KK provided update on ill health. Coming in and being processed, not 100% response rate. Consents can be sent across and processed as they come in. Dependant on GP records. Oc Health to chase GP responses. Once final assessment received, XPS are notified and factor into ICO choices. Action to remain open for monitoring purposes.

Action 04/23: Action discharged.

Action 05/23: Action discharged.

Action 06/23:

• HRy worked on creating a MS Form version of the NPCC Word document form. Suggestions that NPCC are developing a GAD (Government Actuary Department) calculator. Process is that someone would fill in a contingent decision claim form, which would be acknowledged. Would then be put on hold for a few months, a yes or no response would be given to the claim. They would then get sent a contingent decision remedial service statement, they will look at the cost versus the benefit and decide whether they’d like to go through with a claim.
• Suggestion to hold off until GAD calculator becomes available to allow for an informed decision to be made. Communication to be sent out once GAD calculator created.
• HRy collating list of who is affected by the contingent decisions, so they can be contacted to provide a link to the calculator.
• DP advised proactive communications are required, not acceptable to just add onto SharePoint. DP advised other forces have been a lot more proactive in putting comms out, and have a process that’s clearly articulate. Unsure what the process looks like in Kent, feels disjointed. Clear communication is needed to all members. HRy clarified that the above is Phase 1, everything is on SharePoint to ensure that when the communication is sent out, they have access to a detailed document with all the information. Appreciates we are a bit behind other forces but trying to process in a logical order as to not cause further confusion. Next step is to talk to comms team about how this is communicated to the whole force, to advise where the information is located, to identify if affected. Will also identify those we believe are affected, so they can be contacted specifically.
• DP advised was raised at January 'Ask the Chief' event, expected for a process to be in place by now.
• Action to remain open, to be updated around more regular comms. Next steps are to communicate the process to all members. Update to advise that process is in place, currently awaiting NPCC calculator.

4. Scheme Manager appointments

No new appointments.

5. Breaches of Law Procedure

• No new breaches of law to be raised.
• HRy advised on ‘acting up’ issue. Not much of an update, have been focussing on the remedy cohort data. Another meeting booked in to identify what has been done on pension returns so far. HRy will review in the next month.
• No issues raised with agreed approach in below action.

Action: Progress to be made on 'acting up' issue. Progress and updates to be provided by 06/04/2024. HRy to provide plan as to how to resolve issue permanently.

6. XPS SLA performance

• Papers shared on screen, distributed by JC following the meeting. Distributed papers include January and February figures as requested later in agenda item.
• GH presented update.
• XPS Kent performance delivery.
• In the process of developing scheme specific data, which will be available once report has been created.
• JC queried where is January’s data. GH advised the report is for the quarter. January and February can be added when future reports are received. JC requested most up to date picture for future Boards. GH advised most up to date will be provided going forward.
• JC clarified for the Board’s understanding: Things only get shown as a case completed outside the target date when that case is completed. If the case was due to be completed in October, but wasn’t completed until today, that would not show as outside of the target date on this data, until March’s data.
• GH advised looking to see what can be done to identify outstanding data for each month.
• JC highlighted that due to the way data is reported, some figures are slightly distorted, and performance may get worse before it gets better. Data to relate to the actual month going forward.
• JC noted that the level of information and scrutiny provided by XPS is a positive step forward.
• Recovery plan received yesterday from XPS which outlines steps on how we can get from where we are, to where we want to be as per the SLA. Going to be monitored regularly though performance meetings.
• DP advised since October, level of service received by members was not what they were used to. There was much dissatisfaction with the service received. No recent feedback, improvements can be seen, no issues reported in the last four-weeks. Everything raised, HRy has resolved directly with XPS.
• HRy advised working with XPS to provide a retirement pack that can be sent out to members at the point they retire. This will include timelines as to when things can be expected.

7. Remedy

a. Remedy readiness calculator

• JC advised calculator shows progress. Noted that until we finalise all data by the end of March, progress will look at a lower level. After March, this will go to 100% and the overall score will also improve.
• Comments have been added around how much of the cohort data was completed on which days. Trajectory is on track, HRy confirmed still on track for the end of March.

8. Public Services Pension Act 2013 section 249B Internal Controls Framework

a. Admin
KK advised not much change since last Board, all on track. Main concern is getting the data across so XPS can start to do ICOs. Awaiting last years pension contributions confirmed from Payroll. HRy not aware of this request.

Action: KK to advise HRy what is needed to achieve getting data sent across to XPS to start ICOs. Can then be completed outside of the meeting.

b. Governance generic risk assessment

• KK advised the Scheme Manager appointments change in April, so there will be a change in Chair. Annual scheme manager returns completed.
• XPS provided information on cyber risk policies, all in place. By exception, if there are any third-party issues, we will be notified as appropriate. No major concerns.
• JC advised G1 is the declaration, will be covered off after the meeting. G2 is around training and can be turned amber. Acknowledgement given to PS for the completion of this. Everything else is green.

c. KPI’s

• HRy shared KPIs on screen. Backlog of 943 pension leaver declaration forms was completely cleared by the end of November. All pension buybacks were cleared by the end of October.
• HRy now trying to gather new statistics, one of which being the pension opt in percentage each month. Extracting data each month.
• Re-enrolment took place in October; 245 Officers were affected. Of those, 75% opted out again. Numbers went above 90% in October/November, but are now down to similar level, not fluctuating around 89%. Work has been done with other forces, which shows there is a lot of fluctuation.
• DP advised would be interested in the data for new recruits opting out, what percentage of our new recruits are opting out of the pension? HRy advised harder to do but could look at every time there is an intake. HRy advised when looking at the statistics overall, it was people at two to four years who were the main opt-outs. Wondered if it is when people are buying houses, getting married etc and need the extra money. JC stated work has been done around communications to promote the scheme, due to it being beneficial. PS queried if those opting out are provided with figures to say what amount of money would be left in their account. HRy advised previous conversations have not landed well, and Payroll may not be the correct people to be having these conversations.
• JC acknowledged work has been done by Payroll, such as Payroll Week and talks to new joiners to try and promote the scheme. A lot more outward looking activity is being done now that backlogs have cleared.
• JC provided formal recognition of the achievement getting the backlogs cleared in the period, against the backdrop of the XPS transition, remedy going live. Backlogs have existed for nearly a decade.

9. Any other business

The Chair of this meeting will switch to the Federation from the next Board onwards.

Summary of actions and decisions

Action: Progress to be made on 'acting up' issue. Progress and updates to be provided by 06/04/2024. HRy to provide plan as to how to resolve issue permanently.

Action: KK to advise HRy what is needed to achieve getting data sent across to XPS to start ICOs. Can then be completed outside of the meeting.

Date of next meeting

3 July 2024.