2.1 The Cumbria Local Pension Board is responsible for assisting the Administering Authority of the Cumbria Local Government Pension Scheme:
(a) to secure compliance with:
(i) The Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013 (as amended from time to time); and
(ii) Other legislation relating to the governance and administration of the Local Government Pension Scheme ('LGPS'); and
(iii) The requirements imposed by the Pensions Regulator in relation to the LGPS; and
(b) to ensure the effective and efficient governance and administration of the LGPS.
2.2 The Board must have a policy and framework to meet the knowledge and understanding requirements of section 248A of the Pensions Act 2004.
2.3 In its role in assisting the Administering Authority as described above, the Local Pension Board shall report at least twice yearly to the Pensions Committee on matters reviewed and suggestions for their consideration.
2.4 Where the Board is concerned that due consideration has not been given to matters of non-compliance the Board may submit a report for consideration by the Audit and Assurance Committee as the body designated by the Administering Authority with the capacity to investigate such matters on its behalf.
2.5 The Board is constituted under the Public Service Pension Act 2013 and the Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) (Governance) Regulations 2014 and is therefore not subject to the requirements of S.101 of the Local Government Act 1972.
2.6 The Board has no remit as a decision making body but is established to assist the Administration Authority to fulfil its functions which shall be deemed to cover all aspects of governance and administration of the Pensions Fund.
3.1 The operating structure and codes of conduct of the Local Pension Board is as follows:
(a) The Board will be quorate if 25% of designated members (i.e. two) are in attendance, with at least one member representing employers and at least one member representing scheme members.
(b) Prior to appointment to the Board all members will be required to sign up to the Board's Code of Conduct and Conflicts of Interest Policy. As a body representing the public interest the Code of Conduct and Conflicts of Interest Policy of members of the Local Pension Board will be aligned to those applicable to members of the Pensions Committee.
(c) The Board will meet as a minimum twice a year. Meetings will be held during normal working hours and will predominantly be held within County boundaries.
(d) Where required, a minimum of two Board members (one from the member representatives and one from the employer representatives) or the Administering Authority can request a special meeting be convened. Notice of ten working days must be given.
(e) As a non-decision-making body the Board has no authority to establish working parties / subgroups.
(f) Each member shall have an equal vote and should it be required, the Chair will have the casting vote.
4.1 All members of the Local Pension Board have the right to access the support of the experienced Local Government Pension Scheme Independent Advisors, however due regard has to be taken of securing value for money and as such whether in the first instance officers of the County Council could provide the assistance required.
4.2 Items of expenditure by the Board must have prior approval from the Section 151 Officer.
6.1 As a general principle meetings will be open to the public.
6.2 Paper or electronic versions (as requested) of all agendas and papers will be provided to all members of the Local Pension Board prior to a meeting. The Chair can accept that items be tabled on the day should such a need arise.
6.3 As a matter of policy the Pensions Fund has adopted the principles of paperless working, therefore as a matter of course public access to all agendas, public papers and minutes etc. will be available on the Council's website. On request alternative media versions are available.
6.4 The County Council as the Administration Authority is the registered data controller of the Cumbria LGPS, and as such all policies and practices in this regard applicable within the County Council are directly applicable to the Board.
7.1 Equal representation between scheme employers and scheme members is required. The membership of the Cumbria Local Pension Board will comprise three scheme member representatives and three scheme employer representatives.
7.2 Appointment of Board members -To ensure an open and transparent selection process and to ensure the administering authority meets its obligation to ensure appointed members have the capacity the selection process will be through application, matching to a role profile and interview. The appointment panel will consist of the Section 151 Officer, Monitoring Officer and Portfolio Holder for Finance. Appointments will be for four years (or in the case of elected members for the remainder of their current term of office) and there will be no limit on the number of times a member of the board can seek to be reappointed. The three employer representatives will be allocated 1 to the County Council; 1 to the District Councils and 1 for all other employers in the Fund. The three scheme member representatives will be selected to ensure all membership groups within the Fund are considered.
7.3 Appointment of the Chair/Vice Chair - the administering authority will appoint the Chair and the Vice Chair. The roles will be split with one being a scheme member representative and one being a scheme employer representative and this will be alternated on a two yearly cycle.
7.4 Reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses for attendance at meetings and training sessions will be in line with the County Council's agreed policies and rates for elected members. All such costs will be met directly by the Pension Fund.
7.5 Relevant knowledge and capacity - the administering authority must ensure that each person appointed to the Local Pension Board has the relevant knowledge and the capacity to represent the employers or members (as appropriate) of the Pensions Fund. Initially this will be done through selection but, following appointment, it is a member's individual responsibility to ensure they attend sufficient training to enable them to continue to fulfil the knowledge and capacity requirements. Full training will be provided and all reasonable costs will be met by the Pensions Fund. To ensure compliance with the above a general level of attendance at meetings and training events is required.
See also: Pensions Committee
8.1 Substitutes are permitted and sufficient substitutes will be appointed to ensure that the representation described in 7.2 can be maintained whenever a substitution is required.
8.2 In recognition of the requirements relating to relevant knowledge and capacity, substitutes must be subject to the same appointment process as Board members detailed in 7.2 and the relevant knowledge and capacity requirements as set out at 7.5. Each substitute will be appointed for a four year term (or, in the case of elected members for the remainder of their current term of office) and there is no limit on the number of times the substitute can seek to be reappointed.
8.3 Reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses for attendance at meetings and training sessions will be in line with the County Council's agreed policies and rates for elected members. All such costs will be met directly by the Pension Fund.