Issue - meetings

The Head of People, ICT and Property Services submitted a report updating Members on the new Auto Pension Enrolment following the introduction of new “staged” pension duties which had been introduced in October 2012.  The “staging” date for East Herts was 1 January 2014.  The Head of People, ICT and Property Services summarised the new pension duties of all large employers of staff in terms of their “contractual involvement” which the Council had now implemented.  An Executive Summary of the scheme was set out in Essential Reference Paper “B” of the report now submitted. 

Councillor J Ranger explained that negotiations were still taking place with the Treasury regarding the lower paid and the possibility of “half rate” pensions.  He suggested that implementation of the Council’s scheme should be delayed until 1 April 2014 until these issues had been resolved.  Members supported this suggestion

The Head of People, ICT and Property Services explained employers’ obligations in terms of “opting in” and the restrictions placed on employers of those who might wish to “opt out”.

In response to a query from Councillor G McAndrew regarding the 48 employees who had opted out of the Local Government Pension Scheme, the Head of People ICT and Property Services suggested that there may be a mix of salary grades of staff who had opted out, possibly because of financial pressures.  She undertook to write to the Member.

Members noted the report and supported the recommendation that implementation of the scheme be delayed until 1 April 2014.

RESOLVED – that (A) the report be noted; and

(B)   implementation of the scheme be delayed until 1 April 2014.