The Kent Pension Fund Committee met to discuss the fund's work plan, investment performance, and administration, and to authorise the head of pensions to finalise the annual report. Councillor Alan Cecil was elected as Vice-Chair of the committee. The committee also approved the updated communications policy.

• Pension Board Update
• Pensions Administration
• Investment Performance and Strategy
• Annual Report and Accounts
• Committee Work Plan and Action Log

Pension Board Update

The committee received an update from the Pension Board, which, according to Nick Buckland, Head of Pensions and Treasury, acts as a governance and audit committee for the fund. The board had recently received a presentation on the valuation¹ and an update on administration issues. They also discussed the communications policy and the appointment of an independent chair.

Pensions Administration

The committee approved the updated communications policy, which outlines how the Kent Pension Fund communicates with its stakeholders. Clare Chambers, Head of Pensions Administration, explained that the changes were mainly cosmetic, including updating newsletter names and website information. The policy now includes information on meeting accessibility guidelines and clarifies that member appointments are online or by telephone.

Ms Chambers also provided updates on recruitment, noting the success of recent job evaluations in attracting candidates. She said that the fund had filled vacancies in the engagement and systems team, and was pleased to have recruited individuals with Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) experience. She also addressed the issue of complaints, explaining that the leadership team regularly reviews compliments and complaints to identify areas for improvement.

Investment Performance and Strategy

The committee received a report on the fund's investment performance and asset allocation. Sangeeta Surana, Investments, Accounting and Pooling Manager, noted that the fund's value as of 31 July 2025 was £8.9 billion, compared to £8.4 billion as of 31 March 2025. The current asset allocation is broadly aligned with the strategic asset allocation, and within approved tolerance bands. The committee agreed that no rebalancing² was required at this time.

The report also included information on responsible investment activity, including voting activity and engagement with companies on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.

Annual Report and Accounts

The committee was asked to note the report and delegate authority to the Head of Pensions and Treasury, in consultation with the Chair of the Pension Fund Committee, to authorise the final annual report on receipt of the audit certificate. The report acknowledges the high quality of the accounts and the audit experience.

Committee Work Plan and Action Log

The committee reviewed the work plan for the next four meetings, which includes regular updates on governance, pensions administration, investment performance, and responsible investment. The committee also discussed the Government Pensions Review, including pooling and governance changes.

The committee noted that the action log from previous meetings was out of date and would be updated for future meetings.