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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
Resolved: To note the report and the proposed review of the Breaches Register.
Resolved: To note the report and approve the recommendations authorising the Director of Corporate Services to undertake the necessary recruitment, procurement and governance processes associated with the appointment of the LGPS Senior Officer, Independent Person and Independent Governance Reviewer.
RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following items of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
Apologies were received from Councillor David Thomas and Councillor Adam Kennerley.
Members of the Committee declared interests as members of the Local Government Pensions Scheme. These are personal interests, not prejudicial interests in accordance with Paragraph 12(b) (iv) of the Members Code of Conduct 2016.
The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2026 and resolved to accept them as a correct record.
The Chair welcomed members back following the summer recess and advised that a further update on the Wales Pension Partnership Investment Management Company (IMCo) would be provided following the forthcoming meeting in Carmarthen later in September.
The Secretary to the Pensions Board provided an update on matters considered by the Board at its meeting on 17 July 2026. Members were advised that there was overlap between the Board agenda and items being considered by Committee. The Board had reviewed compliance against The Pensions Regulator's Code of Practice and identified no areas of concern. The Board had also considered risk management arrangements, cyber security requirements and bilingual communications, noting that Welsh language content continued to be maintained alongside English language materials on the Fund website. The Committee was asked to maintain oversight of regulatory developments, governance changes and the development of the Wales Pension Partnership IMCo. Questions raised by Committee Responses received from Officers How were the new LGPS Senior Officer and Independent Person roles funded. It was confirmed that both roles would be funded directly from the Pension Fund and would not impact on the Council's revenue budget.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: To note the report and the proposed review of the Breaches Register.
The Committee received an update on developments affecting the Local Government Pension Scheme, including legislative changes, pension dashboards, data quality, artificial intelligence, risk management and regulatory compliance. Members were advised that changes to tax legislation and other external regulations continued to increase the complexity of pension administration and required ongoing staff training and system updates. The Fund's pension dashboard data quality was reported at 95% against regulatory measures, with further work planned to improve data quality. An update was also provided on the use of artificial intelligence and the safeguards required when handling member information. No new breaches had been recorded, although officers were reviewing reporting requirements relating to McCloud information within Annual Benefit Statements. Questions raised by Committee Responses received from Officers Had ongoing regulatory changes placed additional pressure on staff. Officers confirmed that changes increased pressures in a number of ways, including staff training requirements, communication obligations, calculation complexities and dependency on software updates. Additional communications and training resources had been introduced to help manage these demands. What was meant by a trivial commutation lump sum. Members were advised that this allows small pensions to be converted into a single lump sum payment rather than maintaining very small ongoing pension payments. Legislative changes were being made to the way these calculations are carried out. Which membership categories were driving growth in the Fund. It was explained that growth was primarily being seen in deferred and pensioner membership. When a pensioner retires and is replaced by an active member, this effectively creates two records (one active member and one pensioner member) where there was previously one. Officers noted that pensioner numbers had recently exceeded active membership for the first time. How was AI being used within the service. Officers explained that Council-approved AI tools were already being used to support research, proofreading and the production of clearer communications. Members were assured that personal and financial information was not being entered into AI systems and that use was governed by Council guidance. Resolved: To note the report and the proposed review of the Breaches Register.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: To note the report and approve the recommendations authorising the Director of Corporate Services to undertake the necessary recruitment, procurement and governance processes associated with the appointment of the LGPS Senior Officer, Independent Person and Independent Governance Reviewer.
A detailed update was provided on the implementation of the LGPS "Fit for the Future" regulations, which came into force on 30 June 2026. The regulations introduced new requirements relating to governance, training, the appointment of a statutory LGPS Senior Officer, the appointment of an Independent Person, and a future Independent Governance Review. Officers advised that committee training records would now form part of statutory governance requirements and a formal training strategy was being developed. The Committee was informed that all administering authorities must appoint an LGPS Senior Officer and an Independent Person by 31 December 2026. An Independent Governance Review would also be required by 31 March 2028. Members were further advised that all key milestones relating to the Wales Pension Partnership IMCo development had been achieved within the required timescales. Questions raised by Committee Responses received from Officers How were training requirements to be managed following the May 2027 local government elections. Officers advised that a structured induction and training programme would be required for new Committee members. Training needs assessments would be undertaken and maintained as part of the new statutory requirements. Had recruitment commenced for the LGPS Senior Officer post. The Director of Corporate Services advised that a job description had been prepared and was undergoing job evaluation. Following completion of the evaluation process, recruitment would commence with the intention of meeting the 31 December 2026 deadline. The Chair and Vice Chair would likely be involved in the recruitment process. How was the LGPS Senior Officer post funded. The post would be funded by the Pension Fund, similar to pension fund costs attributable to the Section 151 function. Why was an LGPS Senior Officer role now required. Officers explained that pension fund governance arrangements vary across the LGPS. The Government had introduced the role to ensure consistent leadership, accountability and governance standards across all administering authorities. How did the role fit within the existing management structure. Members were advised that the detailed reporting arrangements would be considered once the post had been appointed. The role would sit alongside, rather than replace, existing statutory roles including the Section 151 Officer. What was the purpose of the Independent Person. The Independent Person would provide independent expertise, support and challenge in relation to investment strategy, governance, administration and service delivery. The role would not be decision-making in nature but would complement existing Committee, Board and officer responsibilities. The role would also be funded by the Pension Fund. Resolved: To note the report and approve the recommendations authorising the Director of Corporate Services to undertake the necessary recruitment, procurement and governance processes associated with the appointment of the LGPS Senior Officer, Independent Person and Independent Governance Reviewer.
The Committee received the regular quarterly update from the Wales Pension Partnership Joint Governance Committee. Particular attention was drawn to the publication of the Partnership's first Nature and Climate Report, which provided additional information regarding the Partnership's approach to climate and nature-related risks and opportunities. Members were encouraged to review the report for further detail. Questions raised by Committee Responses received from Officers How were local investment objectives to be implemented under the new arrangements. Officers explained that the Fund could determine its local investment objectives through its Investment Strategy Statement, but investment implementation would be undertaken through the Investment Management Company. Existing local investment objectives would be reviewed as part of the forthcoming investment strategy review.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following items of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following items of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
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