The Shropshire Council Pensions Board is scheduled to convene on Friday, 6 November 2026, to review administrative and regulatory updates, discuss governance matters, and receive feedback from the Pensions Committee. The meeting will also address various project updates and delve into specific governance and economic reports.

Administration and Regulatory Updates

The Board is scheduled to receive an update on the administration and regulatory landscape affecting the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). This report will highlight administration performance, current resourcing pressures, key regulatory activities, and project delivery. It is noted that while most performance indicators remain positive, areas requiring continued oversight include the McCloud remedy work, employer data submissions, Pension Dashboard preparation, and the impact of new regulatory requirements on team capacity. The report will ask the Board to note the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) chart and information on KPIs not meeting the 95% target for completion within statutory timescales, along with the actions being taken to address these. It will also ask the Board to note progress on the Fund's business plan for Q1 2026-27 and the implementation of the Pension Dashboard.

The report indicates that the administration position remains stable, with positive performance in several key areas. However, significant issues for Board oversight include the impact of regulatory change on capacity, ongoing monitoring of McCloud remedy work, employer data submission performance, and preparations for Pension Dashboard connection and query handling. The main proposals within this report relate to ensuring the pensions administration team can continue to meet the Fund's statutory responsibilities effectively, which includes reviewing resources, technology, and work allocation arrangements.

Risks identified include delays in statutory casework, employer non-compliance with contribution and data submission deadlines, additional work arising from regulatory change, and pressure on team capacity. These risks are managed through KPI monitoring, breach reporting, project plan updates, and employer engagement.

The report details that between 1 April and 30 September 2026, 3,936 cases were completed, with overall performance against legal timescales at 90.05%. While this is slightly below the 95% target, the number of cases completed increased in the second quarter. Specific areas with lower performance against the 95% target include deferred benefit options (57.3%), transfer in (55.0%), and aggregation cases (89.0%).

Communication performance is also detailed, showing consistent high percentages of calls answered and responses to contact forms within 10 working days. The report notes that Penny the Pensions Bot, while helpful, has accuracy limitations, with improvements planned through migration to a more advanced system. The registration for 'My Pension Online' continues to increase, with nearly 60% of members now accessing the platform.

Employer performance shows that an average of 97% of i-Connect submissions were on time, 99% of contributions were paid on time, and 90% of lump sum deficit payments were made on time. Delays in lump sum deficit payments were mainly due to separate payments for schools within a Multi Academy Trust.

Project updates include progress on the Access and Fairness/Access and Protections changes, which involve retrospective checks for the equalisation of spouse's benefits and death grant cases. The Pension Dashboards project is progressing, with the team reviewing how queries will be answered and timescales for responses. The McCloud project has seen significant work completed, although some cases remain outstanding due to outstanding guidance.

The report also highlights the creation of additional posts within the Communications and Governance, and Systems and Employer Relations teams to support increased member communication, website refresh, and system updates.

Governance Update

A report is scheduled to provide information on regulatory breaches recorded between 1 April and 30 September 2026, as well as any Stage 1 or Stage 2 appeals received under the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP). The report will also inform the Board of any fund policies that have been reviewed in the last quarter, prior to their approval by the Pensions Committee.

The report highlights that a significant proportion of current breaches are linked to ongoing issues arising from a change of payroll provider affecting a group of employers, resulting in persistent delays in both contribution payments and data submissions. Despite engagement with the employer and the new payroll provider, improvements have not been achieved, and this matter has been escalated and reported to The Pensions Regulator due to its increasing materiality and impact across multiple establishments.

No breaches have been recorded for the Pension Committee and Pension Board in the period under review. The report notes that any McCloud-related breaches would be included in the following quarter's reporting cycle.

Two Stage 1 appeals have been received under the IDRP during the period. One appeal has been dismissed, and the second is currently being reviewed.

The report also details updates to the Fund's Training Strategy, which introduces formal annual Training Needs Assessments, strengthens induction requirements, and enhances monitoring and reporting arrangements. The strategy aims to ensure that all individuals involved in the fund's governance and administration possess the necessary knowledge and skills.

Furthermore, the report outlines the Fit for the Future Good Governance Requirements, which necessitate the implementation of new governance measures from 2026. These include appointing an LGPS Senior Officer, updating the Constitution and Governance Arrangements, appointing an Independent Person, and undertaking Independent Governance Reviews. The report details the progress made in implementing these requirements, such as the ongoing recruitment of an Independent Person and the preparation of updates to the Council's constitution.

Pensions Committee Reports and Feedback

The Board is scheduled to have an opportunity to raise questions following the recent Pensions Committee meeting. The reports considered by the Pensions Committee at its meeting on 18 September 2026 will be accessible via a provided link.

Other Agenda Items

The meeting will also include a review of the date of the next meeting, which is scheduled for Friday, 5 March 2027. The agenda also includes an item for the exclusion of the press and public for the consideration of exempt minutes and reports, which are noted as being exempted by Category 3. These include exempt minutes from the previous meeting, an exempt governance update, and an exempt economic update.

The report pack also contains detailed appendices, including a KPI chart, the Fund business plan for 2026-27, and a Pension Dashboard project update. A separate report details the Governance update, including a breaches log for April to September 2026 and the updated Training Strategy.