Agenda item

The LGA’s Fire Pensions Adviser, Clair Alcock, provided an update on a number of current issues and noted that sub-committees of the Scheme Advisory Board were being formed to look at key areas including cost effectiveness, offering advice and support on pensions, and the use of administrators.  

It was noted that Councillor Howson was no longer able to commit to the Scheme Advisory Board and that the Independent Group Office had nominated Councillor Jason Zadronzy to join the board. Members agreed this nomination. 

On Local Pension Boards, the Committee were advised that progress was being made and that there had been a very good response to the Governance and Administration survey. It was noted that 96 per cent of scheme managers had responded to the survey and that this showed a good level of engagement from the boards. Over 50 per cent of English Local Pension Boards have had board training from the LGA over the past year. 

It was also confirmed that the Government had now provided funds to FRAs to enable contributions holiday refund payments.  

Gill Gittins, LGA Principal Negotiating Officer, then provided an update on a number of current general workforce issues including on-going employment tribunal cases. Matters relating to the Part-time Workers Regulations were drawing to a close. In respect of the other ongoing Employment Tribunal cases (transitional pension arrangements), the main hearing had just finished and a judgement was due shortly.  

On the Advisory Forum vacancies, members agreed that Dany Cotton and Lynne Major should be nominated to the National Employers to fill the current vacancies.   

In the discussion afterwards, the following comments were made: 

·         It was suggested that it could be worth having a separate pensions report as a set agenda item at future meetings as some felt that the issue required greater prominence than it currently had. An alternative view was that time constraints would make this unsuitable but that if there were any major notable issues, a separate paper could be presented to the committee. The latter approach was agreed. 

·         In response to the information that a survey of all employees through the auspices of the NJC-led Inclusive Fire Service Group would shortly commence, members asked whether the Group would be able to use the results to develop improvement strategies. That would be the case. The Committee was advised that the IFS group would also be working with FRAs to develop guidance on a consistent approach to data collection and how that data could be used.  

·         Members discussed the NJC Emergency Medical Response trials and what the benefits were. It was suggested that there were figures showing how useful a collaboration with the ambulance service had been in Greater Manchester and that the national independent evaluation of the NJC trials could play an important part in supporting FRAs in commissioning income and dealing with budget cuts between 2017 and 2020. It was not yet known what the position following the trial period would be but members suggested that there was a discussion at a future FSMC meeting about the report from the University of Hertfordshire when it was published. 

·         Members sought information on the Marauding Terrorist Firearms Attacks (MTFA) discussions in respect of levels of training and equipment. It was noted that safety of firefighters is paramount. Members noted the FBU position in respect of pension and compensation issues. 

·         A discussion was had about co-responding and the effective use of on-call fire fighters.  

Decision 

The Fire Services Management Committee members: 

1)    Approved the nomination of Councillor Jason Zadronzy to the Scheme

Advisory Board. 

2)    Approved the nominations of Dany Cotton and Lynne Major to the

National Employers to fill the Advisory Forum vacancies. 

Action 

Officers to notify Members when the University of Hertfordshire has published the results of their independent evaluation and include for consideration at a future FSMC meeting agenda.