The Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Local Pension Board of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme is scheduled to convene on Monday 2 November 2026. The meeting's agenda includes updates on governance, regulatory matters, risk management, and the administration of the Firefighter Pension Scheme.

Governance, Regulatory and Policy Update

The Board is set to receive an update on governance, regulatory, and policy matters affecting Firefighter Pension Schemes. This includes information on revised conversion factors for the Special FPS 2006, which took effect from 16 September 2026 and impact calculations for pension benefits. The report will also cover the launch of Local Pension Board Training by the Local Government Association (LGA), with sessions scheduled for January 2027. Further details are expected on the LGA's new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy for Firefighters' Pension Scheme Working Groups, and updates from The Pensions Regulator (TPR) regarding its enforcement approach. The report also highlights progress on the Pensions Dashboard Programme, including positive feedback from early user testing.

Risk Review

A review of the risks associated with the administration of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme is scheduled. The report details updates to the risk register, including a revised risk cause for Governance Failure due to the pause in the fire Governance Action Plan until 2027. The risk score associated with Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) has been reduced following the government's decision to pause the process. The risk register outlines various risks, including those related to the inability to meet demand for activity, lack of capacity or competence to act as an intelligent client, business interruption, data quality, fraud or corruption, governance failure, and readiness for the pensions dashboard.

Firefighter Pension Scheme Administration Update

The Board will receive an update on the administration of the Firefighter Pension Scheme, including a report from West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF), which provides the pension administration service for Warwickshire County Council. Key performance indicators (KPIs) from the WYPF report will be discussed, highlighting areas where targets were met and those that were not, with explanations provided for any shortfalls.

A significant focus will be on the Second Retained Exercise, which allows Retained Firefighters to buy back pension service in the 2006 scheme. The regulatory deadline for this is 31 March 2027. The report details the progress of this exercise, including the number of members identified as in scope, expressions of interest received, and calculations sent to members. The report also addresses cases affected by The Firefighters' Pension Scheme (England) (Amendment) Order 2026, which may require recalculation.

Updates on the Age Discrimination Remedy will also be presented, including the issuance of Annual Benefit Statements (ABSs) and any reported breaches to The Pensions Regulator. The report notes that remedial service statements not issued were due to various reasons, including ongoing transfers and divorce calculations, and these cases have been reported.

The meeting will also cover the administration of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme, including updates on the Matthews project, which involves processing claims for retrospective pension adjustments. The report from WYPF details completed processes, work in progress, member web registrations, and membership numbers across different schemes. It also addresses issues such as re-employment of pensioners and administrator actions related to interest rate changes and transfer factors.

The Board will also be informed about the ongoing development of the Pensions Dashboard, a government initiative aiming to provide individuals with a consolidated view of their pension information. The report details the progress and challenges in connecting to the dashboard, including the need for appropriate software and data management.