Agenda item

The Corporate Treasurer to be heard.

The Pensions Manager was heard regarding training available for Members and the following points were made.

·         23 training modules had been passed by Members of the Board, out of a possible total of 42. In light of the resignation of Professor Hodgson, this number was now 35 out of a possible 42.

·         Members of the Board should aim to complete all possible modules by April 2020.

·         Potential training offers for Members of the Board included scheme-specific training on items such as retirement grants and ill-health retirement, and general training on items such as HMRC limits, legal challenges and a scheme cost cap.

·         The proposed training schedule for the Board for 2019/20 included retirement grants and taxation (October 2019) HMRC limits (January 2020) and TRP toolkit (April 2020). Legal challenge(s) and cost cap(s) would be agenda items at future meetings once fresh information became available.

·         The Pensions Manager asked Members to provide him any training feedback outside of the meeting.

·         In response to a question, the Pensions Manager confirmed that his team had not been in receipt of any complaints from scheme members that had required escalation to the Board.

·         The Chairman requested, going forward, that a table be provided in the update report detailing the number of enquiries received from scheme members, and the number of enquiries dealt with within the best practice timeframe and the number of enquiries dealt with outwith the best practice timeframe.

·         The Chairman noted that officers should be prepared to issue a communication to scheme members in the event of the legal challenge reaching a resolution.

RESOLVED, that the presentation be noted.