The Hertfordshire Fire Pension Board met on Monday 20 July 2026 to elect a new 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, noting the contents of the risk register, and approving the LPPA's Q4 performance report.

Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

The meeting began with the election of the board's chair and vice-chair. John Boulter was elected as Chair, though he was unable to attend the meeting. Peter Hill was subsequently elected as Vice-Chair and took over the chairing of the meeting.

Pension Fund Risk Register

The board reviewed the Hertfordshire Fire Pension Scheme Risk Register for the period January to March 2026. Three risks were identified as exceeding the tolerated risk threshold:

• Risk A1: Ineffective management (governance) of the Fund.
• Risk A2: Skills or knowledge gaps at the Administering Authority.

These risks were primarily attributed to the retirement of the Head of Pensions at the end of March 2026. While the role has been filled by Taryn Ahlberg, the risk level remains above tolerance due to the ongoing recruitment process for the Governance Manager position.

• Risk E1: Poor administration, including failures/delays in implementing regulatory changes.

This risk remains above tolerance due to ongoing delays in processing McCloud Immediate Choice – Retrospective Service Statement payments (IC-RSS). While significant progress has been made, further work is required to resolve outstanding cases, particularly for tapered and protected members.

The board noted the contents of the report and the risk register dashboard.

LPPA Performance Report (Q4 2025/26)

Scott Mackerel presented the Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA) performance report for the fourth quarter of 2025/26. Key highlights included:

• Casework Performance: Overall casework performance was 96.2% against Service Level Agreements (SLAs). A dip in performance in January was attributed to a reporting error that affected some retirement cases, though member payments were not impacted.
• Contact Centre Performance: The average call wait time was one minute and 45 seconds, well below the four-minute target.
• Customer Satisfaction: Satisfaction scores for the contact centre were noted as low, with overall satisfaction at 37.5%. Satisfaction with individual call handlers was higher at 80%. Retirement satisfaction scores were also low due to a low response rate from surveys.
• PASA Accreditation: LPPA was awarded accreditation by the Pension Administration Standards Association (PASA) on 1 April 2026, signifying the highest standards for UK pension administrators.
• McCloud Remedy: LPPA has issued 89.1% of Immediate Choice Remedial Service Statements (IC-RSS) to pensioners and dependants. All ill-health cases within LPPA's control have been processed.
• Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001: LPPA achieved re-certification for Cyber Essentials Plus and passed its ISO 27001 re-certification audit, demonstrating a commitment to data security.
• Pensions Dashboard: LPPA is preparing for the introduction of the Pensions Dashboard, focusing on business readiness and driving member self-service.

The board noted and commented on the content of the report and its appendices.

Report on Age Discrimination and Remedy

Rachel Wilson provided an update on the council's progress in addressing age discrimination in pension schemes, specifically the McCloud remedy.

• Active Retirements: Of the 41 active retirements affected by the remedy, 38 have been paid, with three pending payment. Two of these are expected to be paid in August/October 2026, with one case also subject to the Matthews remedy.
• Contingent Decisions: Three out of four contingent decision claims have been approved. LPPA has issued one Contingent Decision Remedial Service Statement (CD-RSS), with three outstanding, pending the issuance of IC-RSSs.
• Immediate Choice Remedial Service Statements (IC-RSS): As of 30 June 2026, 15 IC-RSSs remained outstanding. LPPA has communicated revised timescales for these cases.
• Payments to Pensioners: Of 35 requested payments, 33 have been completed, with two outstanding.

The board noted the content of the report.

Report on Second Options Exercise for Retained Firefighters

Rachel Wilson also presented an update on the second options exercise for retained firefighters, relating to the Matthews remedy.

• Expression of Interest: 179 expression of interest forms have been received, with 168 requesting a quote. 153 quotes have been issued, with 12 outstanding.
• Payments: 62 pensioner members have been paid, with nine remaining. LPPA is working on processes to set up active and deferred member pension accounts.
• Amendment Legislation: 44 members are in scope for amendment legislation, allowing for conversions or the purchase of opted-out service. Quotes will be issued once the new GAD calculator is available.

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 the financial year 2025/26.

• Deficit: The accounts showed a deficit of £10.5 million, which was met by a central government top-up grant, bringing the account to a nil balance at the end of the financial year.
• Contributions and Benefits: Employer contributions increased to £8.1 million, and employee contributions rose to £3.7 million. Total benefits paid increased to £22.3 million.
• Membership: Active members increased by 1.8%, deferred members by 4.8%, and pensioners by 7.1%.

The board noted and commented on the content of the report.

Dates of Future Meetings

The board noted the dates for future meetings: 9 October 2026, 18 December 2026, 12 March 2027, and 25 June 2027, all commencing at 10:00 AM.

The meeting then moved into Part II business, which was closed to the press and public.