The Hertfordshire Fire Pension Board met on Monday 20 July 2026 to elect its Chair and Vice-Chair, review the pension fund's risk register, and discuss performance reports from the Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA). Key decisions included the election of Peter Hill as Vice-Chair and the noting of reports on the LPPA's performance, age discrimination remedy, and the draft accounts for the Firefighters' Pension Fund.

Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

The meeting began with the election of the board's Chair and Vice-Chair for the coming year. John Boulter was nominated and elected as Chair, but as he was unable to attend the meeting, Peter Hill was subsequently nominated and elected as Vice-Chair, taking on the responsibility of chairing the current meeting.

Pension Fund Risk Register

Alison Sharpe presented the Pension Fund Risk Register for the period 1 January to 31 March 2026. Three risks were identified as exceeding the tolerated risk threshold: ineffective management of the fund (Risk A1), skills or knowledge gaps at the administering authority (Risk A2), and poor administration, including delays in implementing regulatory changes (Risk E1). Risks A1 and A2 are attributed to the recent retirement of the Head of Pensions, though the role has been filled, recruitment is ongoing for a backfill position. Risk E1 remains elevated due to ongoing delays with the McCloud remedy. It was noted that these risks are expected to decrease in the next quarter. The board noted the contents of the report.

LPPA Performance Report

Scott MacKerrell presented the Q4 2025/26 performance report for the Hertfordshire Firefighters' Pension Scheme from LPPA. Overall casework performance was 96.2%, with a minor dip in January due to a reporting error that affected SLA timelines but not member payments. Contact centre performance remained strong, with an average call wait time of 1 minute and 45 seconds. However, customer satisfaction scores from after-call surveys were noted as low at 37.5%, though satisfaction with individual agents was higher at 80%. The report highlighted LPPA's successful PASA accreditation and their shortlisting for UK Professional Pension Awards. Significant work had been undertaken to issue Immediate Choice Remedial Service Statements (ICRSSs) by the 31 March deadline, with ongoing efforts to address remaining cases. The report also detailed the impact of the government's escape rate change and the swift turnaround in implementing new commutation factors. The board noted and commented on the report.

Report on Age Discrimination and Remedy

Rachel Wilson provided an update on the progress of the age discrimination remedy. Active retirement processes were reported to be working well, with 41 retirements processed under the McCloud remedy. Three contingent decision statements remained outstanding, awaiting further information. For Immediate Choice Remedial Service Statements (ICRSSs), 15 remained outstanding, with specific reasons provided for the delays, including cases with GAD and those related to the Matthews Modified exercise. LPPA had communicated revised timescales for these outstanding statements. Payments to pensioners were in a good position, with 33 out of 35 payments completed. The board noted the content of the report.

Report on Second Options Exercise for Retained Firefighters

Rachel Wilson also presented an update on the Matthews second options exercise for retained firefighters. Work was ongoing, with 179 expression of interest forms returned, representing just under half of the members in scope. 153 quotes had been issued, with 12 outstanding. 62 pensioner members had been paid, with a small number still outstanding. The report detailed progress on amendment legislation, with 44 members in scope and quotes expected to be issued soon following the release of the GAD calculator. The deadline for expressions of interest is currently set for March 2027, with potential for extension. The board noted the content of the report.

Firefighters' Pension Fund Draft Accounts 2025/26

Robert Winterton presented the draft accounts for the Firefighters' Pension Fund for 2025/26. The accounts showed an overall deficit of £10.5 million, an increase of £3.2 million from the previous year, which was met by a central government top-up grant. Employer and employee contributions had increased, while total benefits paid also rose significantly. Membership data showed increases in active, deferred, and pensioner members. The board noted and commented on the content of the report.

The meeting concluded with the noting of dates for future meetings. Part two of the meeting was moved to exclude the press and public due to the likely disclosure of exempt information.