Plans and policies

Contents

1. Overview
2. Governance
3. Training
4. Pensions service
5. Funding strategy
6. Investment strategy
7. Pensions administration
8. Audit reports
9. Regulations

Overview

South Tyneside Council is the administering authority for the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund. The Council has a Pensions Committee to deal with all matters relating to the Fund. It requires the Committee to prepare, maintain and publish certain documents.

Please see the information below for the plans and policies we have available.

Governance

• South Tyneside Council: Council Constitution - Details the rules and policies for working within the Council's Constitution
• Governance Compliance Statement (PDF) [274KB]  - Details the management of the administration of benefits and strategic management of fund assets
• The Pensions Regulator - Code of Practice - Information from The Pensions Regulator to provide guidance on best practice for Public Sector Pension Schemes
• Policy for reporting breaches to the Pensions Regulator (PDF) [244KB]  - Details the policy for reporting breaches of the law to the Pensions Regulator

Training

• Training policy for Pensions Committee and the Local Pension Board (PDF) [69KB]  - Details the plans for ensuring all Committee members and Local Pension Board members receive appropriate training for their role

Pensions service 

• Pensions Service Plan 2024-2027 (PDF) [1MB]  - Details of the Pension Fund's future planning
• Service Plan 2024 - 27 PEST Analysis (PDF) [417KB]  - Details of the Pension Fund's PEST analysis for future planning
• Service Plan 2024 - 27 SWOT Analysis (PDF) [385KB]  - Details of the Pension Fund's SWOT analysis for future planning
• Service Plan 2024 - 27 Summary of Actions (PDF) [345KB]  - A summary of the Pension Fund's actions for future planning
• Member Engagement Strategy (PDF) [1MB]  - Details of how we will involve and consult with our members in line with TWPF's Service Plan
• Employer Engagement Strategy (PDF) [1MB] - Details of how we will involve and consult with our employers in line with TWPF's Service Plan
• Communications Policy (PDF) [523KB]  - Details of how we communicate with our stakeholders and promote membership of the Fund
• Equality impact assessment (PDF) [261KB]  - Assessment of the Fund's ability to successfully meet the diverse needs of the membership
• Risk Management Policy (PDF) [189KB]  - The Fund's policy for risk management 
• Short form risk register (PDF) [222KB]  - Short form risk register

Funding strategy

• Funding strategy statement (PDF) [887KB]  - Sets out the strategy that has been adopted for the actuarial valuation of the Fund and for subsequent actuarial work
• Guide for prospective employers (PDF) [286KB]  - A guide for prospective employers joining the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund
• Pass-through Admissions - A Guide for Scheme Employers and Prospective Employers (PDF) [181KB]  - A guide to pass-through admissions for employers joining the Tyne and Wear Pension Fund
• Admission of organisations to the Fund (PDF) [136KB]  - Admission of Organisations to the Fund - Policy March 2024
• Admission of organisations to the Fund - Assessment of employer risk (PDF) [171KB]  - Admission of Organisations to the Fund - Assessment of Employer Risk
• Actuarial Fees Policy (PDF) [75KB]  - Sets out the charges which should be met by the Fund and which should be invoiced to individual employers
• Fund valuation reports - The main purposes of the actuarial valuation are to review the financial position of the Fund and to recommend the rates of contributions payable to the Fund in the future

Investment strategy

• Investments - Investment Strategy Statement, Corporate Governance Policy and Stewardship Code
• Class action protocol (PDF) [137KB]  - Protocol for dealing with Class Action cases

Pensions administration

• Pensions Admin Strategy (PDF) [265KB]  - Helps employers and the Fund to work together more effectively in fulfilling their joint responsibilities in administering the Scheme.
• Discretions within the LGPS - Administering Authority Discretions (PDF) [238KB]  - Most of the rules within the LGPS can only be changed by an Act of Parliament. However, there are some rules with discretions placed upon them. Discretions are powers that allow us to choose how we will apply these rules.
• Delegated authority to administer discretions (PDF) [107KB]  - Extract from Committee Report to show delegated authority to administer discretions dated 4 June 2013
• Recovery of overpaid pension on death (PDF) [237KB]  - A policy to explain how the Fund will treat cases where a member has been overpaid pension following their death
• Death grant policy (PDF) [116KB]  - Background documents relating to Death Grant Nomination procedures 
• Safeguarding protocol (PDF) [178KB]  - The protocol the Fund uses to protect the interests of our pensioner members
• Safeguarding protocol principles (PDF) [158KB]  - The principles used to support the Safeguarding protocol
• Certificate Policy (PDF) [190KB]  - A policy to detail the Fund's approach to collecting personal information from certificates
• Transfer Out quotations policy (PDF) [247KB]  - A policy relating to the Fund's service for transfer quotations
• Member Led Estimate Quotations Policy (PDF) [113KB]  - A policy relating to the Fund's service for estimate quotations requested by the Fund's members
• If you are unhappy with your pension benefits - The Fund's formal approach to resolving disputes from members about their pension
• Increasing your benefits - The Fund's approach to offering our active members the opportunity to pay extra to provide extra pension benefits

Audit reports

• External audit report (PDF) [3MB]  - Report by external auditors
• Internal audit report (PDF) [512KB]  - Report by internal auditors

Regulations 

• LGPS Regulations and Guidance - LGPS Regulations for England and Wales from April 2014
• Timeline Regulations - Timeline Regulations for England and Wales up to April 2014