Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue Service Local Pension Board - 11 August 2026

The Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service Local Pension Board met and began by electing Victoria Wallens-Hancock as Chairman, following a motion proposed by Jim Pearce and seconded by Deborah Goodreid. The appointment was approved by a show of hands, and the new Chairman thanked members for their support. No declarations of interest were recorded. The Board then approved the minutes of the previous meeting held on 5 May 2026, having been moved by Deborah Goodreid, seconded by Jim Pearce, and resolved accordingly.

The Pension Benefits Manager and Employee Relations Advisor presented a Business Update report, which prompted several clarifications and discussions. Members were informed that the Chairman and Pension Benefits Manager would attend the upcoming LGA Firefighters’ Pensions Annual Conference and report back to the Board. Training opportunities for Board members were also to be circulated. On communications, efforts are underway to improve interactions with scheme members by providing more relevant information tailored to different circumstances, rather than simply increasing the volume of communications.

A significant issue raised was that the deadline of 31 August 2026 for issuing Annual Benefits Statements and Remedial Service Statements to all members was expected to be missed. This will be reported as a breach to The Pensions Regulator (TPR), though improvements from the previous year mean the statements should be produced before the end of 2026. A timeline for completion will be provided to TPR. Some members will not receive a statement due to the Secondary Assignment issue, but they will be individually contacted and informed of the reasons. The Board noted that Remedial Service Statements are prioritised due to previous related breaches.

The Remedial Service Statements will be published online via the member self-service portal, Engage, alongside a Q&A document. This is expected to reduce the need for individual correspondence and allow members to perform their own calculations. Further updates on this process will be brought to the next meeting. Regarding risk management, the Board was assured that risks on the Risk Register—such as capacity to deal with pension remedies—are continuously reviewed and adjusted as new information emerges.

Finally, a motion moved by Jim Pearce and seconded by Deborah Goodreid was resolved, noting the Business Update report and requesting that officers provide any further clarification or assurance as needed by Board members.