The Pensions Board of Shropshire Council met on Friday 1 May 2026 to review updates on pension administration, governance, and regulatory changes. The meeting's agenda included discussions on performance monitoring, policy reviews, and project updates related to the Pensions Dashboard.

Administration and Regulatory Updates

The Board was scheduled to receive an update on the performance of the pensions administration team, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and the impact of changes in work allocation. The report detailed efforts to improve the processing of deferred benefits cases and highlighted the ongoing recruitment of additional staff. It also covered the usage of the helpdesk and online portal, alongside initiatives to enhance data quality. Regulatory updates concerning inheritance tax, death benefits, and minimum pension age were also on the agenda. The report noted that 10 out of 14 KPIs were meeting the 95% target for timely case completion.

The report also detailed the team's output and performance for the period of April 2025 to March 2026, indicating that 10 out of 14 KPIs were achieving at least 95% of cases completed within legal timeframes. A new work allocation process, based on skill sets and capacity rather than an alphabetical split, was introduced in February 2026 to address lagging tasks. The report highlighted the additional workload anticipated from regulation changes effective from April 2026, including the access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) for County Councillors and the equalisation of partner benefits.

Statistics on helpdesk activity, online portal usage, and the accuracy rate of the Penny the Pensions Bot were presented. The report also detailed employer performance regarding timely payments and data submissions, noting that on average, 98% of contributions were received on time. Project updates were provided on the completion of the 2025 valuation, the implementation of Pension Dashboards, and the application of pension increases. Staffing changes within the administration team were also outlined.

Key regulatory changes discussed included those aimed at making benefits fairer and more accessible for all members, such as the equalisation of survivor pension rules and changes to death grant eligibility. The report also mentioned expected responses to the Access and Protections consultation, which could include elected members having access to the LGPS pension scheme and changes to the normal minimum pension age.

Governance Update

The Pensions Board was scheduled to review a comprehensive governance report, which included updates on regulatory breaches recorded between April 2025 and February 2026. The report indicated that no breaches were deemed materially significant to require reporting to The Pensions Regulator. It also provided information on Stage 1 and Stage 2 appeals received under the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP), noting that four such cases had been received from an employer and upheld.

The report detailed the review and update of several fund policies, including the Conflicts of Interest Policy, which now incorporates references to members of the Pensions Committee. A new Data Retention Policy was also presented for consideration. The Data Improvement Strategy and Workplan for 2025-2027 was also on the agenda, focusing on improving member record accuracy and preparing for the Pensions Dashboard launch. The Communications Policy was also reviewed and updated to reflect new practices.

The report also covered the Fit for the Future new governance requirements, outlining the fund's progress in meeting these recommendations, such as the appointment of a senior LGPS officer with delegated responsibility and the preparation of an administration strategy. The requirement for pension committee and board members, the senior LGPS officer, and officers to have the appropriate level of knowledge and understanding for their roles was also addressed. The fund's approach to an independent governance review and the potential appointment of an independent advisor to the committee were also discussed.

Vacancies on the Committee and Board were noted, with two applications received for the Board positions. The Board was also due to consider nominating a representative to take on the position of Chair. Training needs for Committee and Board members were highlighted, with a survey issued to gather information on knowledge levels across administration, investments, and governance.

Pensions Committee Reports and Feedback

The Board was scheduled to raise any questions following the recent Pensions Committee meeting held on 20 March 2026. The reports considered by the Pensions Committee at its meeting on 5 December 2025 had been made available to the Board.

Other Agenda Items

The meeting was also scheduled to receive apologies for absence, address declarations of conflicts of interest, and confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 23 January 2026. Public question time was allocated, and the date of the next meeting was set for Friday 11 September 2026. The agenda also included an item for the exclusion of the press and public during the consideration of exempt minutes and reports.