The Pensions Compensation Committee met on 28 August 2025, and agreed to approve applications for access to unreduced pension benefits on the grounds of business efficiency in the Directorate of Education and Social Services, and the Directorate of Housing and Environment.

Applications for Access to Unreduced Pension Benefits

The committee unanimously agreed to approve the recommendations contained within the officer's report regarding applications for access to unreduced pension benefits on the grounds of business efficiency.

Two applications were considered from the Directorate of Education and Social Services, and a further two from the Directorate of Housing and Environment.

Public Interest Test

The committee considered the public interest test certificates from the Proper Officer¹ and agreed that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. As a result, the public was excluded from the remainder of the meeting because of the likely disclosure of exempt information, as identified in paragraphs 12 and 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972². The Director of Legal, Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer had considered grounds for exemption of information contained in the report and made recommendations to the Proper Officer. The exemptions applying to the report were that it contained information relating to particular individuals (paragraph 12) and information relating to the financial or business affairs of particular persons (including the authority holding the information) (paragraph 14).

Factors in favour of disclosure were that:

There is a public interest in the way in which the Council will be organising its internal staffing arrangements.

The prejudice which would result if the information were disclosed was:

The report contains information regarding individuals which includes detailed applications for the early release of pension benefits which affects the particular individuals named.

The Director of Legal, Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer stated:

My view on the Public Interest Test is that whilst there is a need to ensure transparency and accountability of a Public Authority for decisions taken in relation to staffing which may have an effect on the budget, this must be balanced against the fact that these matters have not yet been concluded together with the right of the named individuals for privacy in respect of their financial/business affairs which at this stage outweigh the need for the information to be made public.

Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Elizabeth Davies, A. Gair, N. George, G. Enright, J. Scriven and Councillor John Taylor. Apologies were also received from Cabinet Member C. Andrews.