Committee details

Terms of Reference – Teesside Pension Fund Committee

The Pension Fund Committee will have the following specific roles and functions, taking account of advice from the Chief Finance Officer and the Fund's professional advisers:

a) Ensuring the Teesside Pension Fund is managed and pension payments are made in compliance with the extant Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations, Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs requirements for UK registered pension schemes and all other relevant statutory provisions.

b) Ensuring robust risk management arrangements are in place.

c) Ensuring the Council operates with due regard and in the spirit of all relevant statutory and non-statutory best practice guidance in relation to its management of the Teesside Pension Fund.

d) Determining the Pension Fund’s aims and objectives, strategies, statutory compliance statements, policies and procedures for the overall management of the Fund, including in relation to the following areas:

i) Governance - approving the Fund's Governance Policy and Compliance Statement for the Fund within the framework as determined by Middlesbrough Council and making recommendations to Middlesbrough Council about any changes to that framework.

ii) Funding Strategy - approving the Fund's Funding Strategy Statement including ongoing monitoring and management of the liabilities, ensuring appropriate funding plans are in place for all employers in the Fund, overseeing the triennial valuation and interim valuations, and working with the actuary in determining the appropriate level of employer contributions for each employer.

iii) Investment strategy - approving the Fund's Investment Strategy Statement and Compliance Statement including setting investment targets and ensuring these are aligned with the Fund's specific liability profile and risk appetite.

iv) Administration Strategy - approving the Fund's Administration Strategy determining how the Council will the administer the Fund including collecting payments due, calculating and paying benefits, gathering information from and providing information to scheme members and employers.

v) Communications Strategy - approving the Fund's Communication Strategy, determining the methods of communications with the various stakeholders including scheme members and employers.

vi) Discretions - determining how the various administering authority discretions are operated for the Fund.

e) Monitoring the implementation of these policies and strategies on an ongoing basis.

f) In relation to the Borders to Coast Pension Partnership; the Asset Pooling Collaboration arrangements:

i) Monitoring of the performance of the Borders to Coast Asset Pooling Collaboration and its Operator and recommending actions to the Joint Committee, The Mayor or his Nominee (in his role as the nominated person to exercise Shareholder rights and responsibilities), Officers Groups or BCPP Ltd, as appropriate.

ii) Undertake the role of Authority in relation to the Inter Authority Agreement, including but not limited to:

• Requesting variations to the Inter Authority Agreement

• Withdrawing from the Inter Authority Agreement

• Appointing Middlesbrough Council officers to the Officer Operations Group.

g) Considering the Fund's financial statements and the Fund’s annual report.

h) Selection, appointment, dismissal and monitoring of the Fund’s advisers, including actuary, benefits consultants, investment consultants, global custodian, fund managers, lawyers, pension funds administrator, independent professional advisers and AVC provider.

i) Liaison with internal and external audit, including providing recommendations in relation to areas to be covered in audit plans, considering audit reports and ensuring appropriate changes are made following receipt of audit findings

j) Making decisions relating to employers joining and leaving the Fund. This includes which employers are entitled to join the Fund, any requirements relating to their entry, ongoing monitoring and the basis for leaving the Fund.

k) Agreeing the terms and payment of bulk transfers into and out of the Fund.

l) Agreeing Pension Fund business plans and monitoring progress against them.

m) Agreeing the Fund's Knowledge and Skills Policy for all Pension Fund Committee members and for all officers of the Fund, including determining the Fund’s knowledge and skills framework, identifying training requirements, developing training plans and monitoring compliance with the policy.

n) Agreeing the Administering Authority responses to consultations on LGPS matters and other matters where they may impact on the Fund or its stakeholders.

o) Receiving ongoing reports from the Chief Finance Officer, the Head of Investments and Treasury Management and other relevant officers in relation to delegated functions.

Quorum: 8 : At least 5 of the members present must be Middlesbrough Councillors