Avon Fire Authority Local Pension Board – Scheme Member Representative

Avon Fire Authority has an opportunity for a member (current or retired) of the Firefighters’ Pension Schemes to join the Local Pension Board (LPB) as a Scheme Member representative.

In accordance with the relevant sections of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 and Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Governance Regulations, the Avon Fire Authority Local Pension Board (LPB) was established to assist the Scheme Manager (the Authority) in the effective and efficient governance and administration of the various Firefighters’ Pension Scheme(s).

While not a decision making body, the LPB has a key role in ensuring good governance of the Scheme(s) and they consider matters such as risks and pension administrator performance, as well as making recommendations to the Authority on pension matters, including changes to the relevant policies.

The Board consists of:
• 2 Scheme Member representatives, and
• 2 Employer (Authority) representatives, and
• 1 non-voting Independent Chair

As a Scheme Member representative you would need to read and scrutinise LPB papers and attend LPB meetings, which currently take place twice a year (one meeting on-line and one in-person). Following the appointment of a new Independent Chair, the frequency of meetings may increase to up to 4 meetings a year.

Given the nature of the role, LPB members need to have, and maintain, a level of technical knowledge and understanding. Therefore the role comes with the opportunity for personal development via training, development and toolkits.

If you are interested in sitting on the Local Pension Board (LPB) as a Scheme Member Representative, you will ideally be an active or pensioner member of the Firefighters’ Pension Schemes. You can be a member of a union or a union official, but this is not a requirement.

To nominate yourself for the role please submit an email to the Fire Authority Clerk, Mrs Amanda Brown amanda.brown@avonfire.gov.uk, providing a brief (no more than 500 words) supporting note explaining the reasons you would like to be considered. There is no set format for this note, but you may find it helpful to look at the Terms of Reference for the LPB, previous Annual Reports of the Local Pension Board and example minutes of an LPB meeting.

Briefly tell us how you think your skills, experience and approach would make a positive contribution and be in the best interests of the purpose of the LPB. Please also confirm your commitment to the training.

Please include your full name and contact details and indicate if you are an active or pensioner member of the Firefighters’ Pension Schemes.

The timeline for this selection process is as follows
• Closing date for applications: midnight Friday 18th April 2025
• Shortlisting process w/c 21 April
• Interviews w/c 28 April 2025 (date TBC)
• Appointee to attend their first in-person Local Pension Board meeting on 24th July 2025