Issue - meetings

12.1     The Committee considered a report providing an update on Employer Engagement activities including communications; and the collection of Employer contributions up to March 2021 which were due on 19 April 2021.

12.2     The Committee resolved to note the report.

11.1     SK introduced the report which gives an update on the Engagement Team’s activities and the work on employer contributions. The Team has been working with the Pensions Administration Team on the Annual Benefits Statements and i-Connect projects, as well as communications. The report also contains information on the employer contributions monitoring work that has been undertaken, which has flagged up any persistent late payments. Many of the late payments are from small employers who pay by cheque.

11.2     TD asked if it was possible to encourage employers who pay by cheque to use the Bankers’ Automated Clearing System (BACS) for electronic fund transfers. Tim Hillman (TH), Pensions Manager - Employer Engagement, explained that many of the smaller employers were Parish Councils who do not have the technology to be able to pay by BACS and have multiple signatories on their cheques.

11.3     It was reported that East Sussex College Group have been working extensively with the Engagement Team and are keen to start using the i-Connect system. One of the main issues has been the format of payroll references used to identify employees, who may have multiple concurrent employments. It is hoped to have the new system working for this employer shortly.

11.4     Examples of newsletters for employers, members and pensioners are included in the report, which are being reviewed by the Communications Working Group. It was clarified that at present the employer newsletter is sent out quarterly and the pensioners and active members newsletter once a year. These are the formats previously used by Orbis and will be reviewed by the Working Group along with the frequency they are issued.

11.5     The Chair invited the new members of Pension Fund staff who were present at the meeting to introduce themselves. Tim Hillman, Pensions Manager - Employer Engagement; Michael Burton, Pensions Manager - Governance and Compliance; and Mariana Obetzanova, Pensions Training Coordinator introduced themselves to the Board.

11.6     The Board RESOLVED to note the report.

61.1.     The Board considered a report providing an update on the Employer contributions due in respect of the period April to November 2020, highlighting any late payments.

61.2.     The Chair observed that the pandemic had not appeared to have affected the ability of many employers to pay on time. He asked how long those who did not pay on time took to pay.

61.3.     Sian Kunert (SK), Head of Pensions, said the majority of late payments were by just a few days, however, one employer was having difficulties and the Fund is investigating further.

61.4.     The Board RESOLVED to:

1) note the report; and

2) request that employer contribution updates are provided at future meetings on an ongoing basis.