Datesforyour diaries...
August-AnnualBenefitStatements (ABS)
ABShavealreadybeencirculatedto Deferredmembers.Activestatements willbecirculatedduringAugust.
9September-PensionAwareness Week!
Wewillberunningaweeklong campaignaswedoeachyear Watch thisspaceforupdates,webinars,and resourcesyoucanshare!
Our vision is to deliver an outstanding service to our scheme employers and members
Ouraddress ischanging
Asof22ndJulyourpostal addressischangingto: WiltshirePensionFund POBox2096 LIVINGSTON EH540HH
WearechangingtoaPO Boxasthisisamuch moreefficientwayof handlingourpost CFH DocmailLimitedwill managetheincoming post,creatingdigital copiesforustoreviewin oursystem Ifnecessaryoriginalswill beforwardedontouswith documents/certificates returnedtomembersby SpecialDelivery
Wehavebegunthefirstquarterofthefinancialyearwithalot goingon!
InlateMarch2024,thepensionfundcommitteeapprovedour newBusinessPlan24/27,whichsetsoutapathwayforustobe deliveringagainstourvisionoverthenext3years Alotofthis workfocussesonprovidingabetterservicetoyourselves,and providingyouwiththetoolsyouneedtofulfilyourstatutory responsibilitiesasemployersintheFund Andofcourseitalso focussesonimprovingourservicetoourmembers,ie your employees.
TherearelotsofthingscomingupwhichIwantedtoflagtoyou Wearecurrentlyworkingonourannualreportandaccounts,and wewillcommunicatethiswithyouwhenitispublished.Weare alsofinalisingourclimatereport,whichthisyearincludessome workonnatureforthefirsttime Iknowthisreportisimportantto alotofyouasyoualsohaveambitiousnetzerotargets,andwe wouldwelcomefeedbackifyouhaveanytoshare.
Comingupsoon,wewillberunninganemployersurvey!Thiswill provideanopportunityforyoutoshareyourviewsaboutthe serviceweareproviding,howwecancommunicatewithyouand assistyou,andalsoyourviewsonourresponsibleinvestment strategy Ihopeyouwillallbeabletotakeafewminutestoshare yourvaluableviews!
Finally,wearecurrentlypreparingforPensionAwarenessWeek 2024!Thisyearourthemewillbeencouragingmemberstoget connectedwiththeirfinancialfuture.Wewillcirculatethe materialswearepreparinginduecourseasthesecouldbe helpfultoolstoeducateyourLGPSemployeesabouttheirpension benefits
Jennifer Devine HeadofWiltshirePensionFund
InvestmentNews
AsattheendofMay24theFundwasvaluedat 3.35bn, withapositiveinvestmentreturnfortheyearof8.7%.
TheFund’sglobalequitiesportfolioshavebeenakey sourceofthepositiveperformance,despitethe negativeimpactofhighinflationandglobalconflicts thediversifiedinvestmentportfoliohasperformedwell
SincethelastnewslettertheFundhaspublishedseveral keyreportsandarticlesonthemesandissueswithinthe investmentportfolios.Thisincludesreportinginlinewith theStewardshipCode2020,oursecondAffordable HousingImpactreportandanewreportSpotlighton Social,focusingonsocialissueswithintheinvestment portfolios,checktheseoutonourwebsite.
Wehavemadethepenultimateallocationtoournew ClimateOpportunitiesportfolio(Clops) Weare delightedtoannouncethatWiltshirePensionFundhave selectedLombardOdier'sPlanetaryTransitionstrategy tofulfilthelistedequitiesallocation.
Thekeygoalforthisportfolioistomakesurethatwe don'tmissoutontheopportunitiespresentedbythe transition,withadualaimofcompetitivefinancial returnsand positive environmental impact.
Updates...
NEWLGPSEMPLOYERHR ANDPAYROLLGUIDES
TheLGPSrecentlypublished updatedguidesforHRandPayroll departments,youcanaccess theseontheiremployerresources page
NEWINFORMERDOCUMENT
InthelatestLGPSBulletinanewinformerdocumentwaslaunched, explainingthetimelineandinformationflowforthetriennialvaluation andaccounting/auditpurposes.
Thedocumentisintendedtobeapracticaldocumentthatexplains:
howtheLGPSworksinpractice keyinformationflowsbetweenemployingbodies,pensionfunds andactuaries
thecontentandpurposeofannualaccountingreportsandtriennial valuations
keyaccountingrequirementsforemployingbodies theroleofexternalauditors
WISHINGDENISEAHAPPYRETIREMENT
Denisehasbeenavaluedmemberoftheteamformanyyears, carryingouttheroleofEmployerEngagementandTrainingOfficer We wishherallthebestinherretirement!
Pleaseusethenewemailaddressbelowtocontactuswithany queriesmovingforward
Tobetterassistouremployers,wehavecreatedagroupmailbox forouremployerrelationsteam.
Employer.Relations@wiltshire.gov.uk
Thisensuresthatwecanrespondtoyoupromptlywithoutany delaycausedbypersonalemailaddressesduringperiodsof annualleaveorsickness.
WHATSHOULDITBEUSEDFOR?
JoiningtheFund
Employercontributionratequestions
Contractquestions
TUPEqueries
Valuationqueries
Actuaryqueries(bothfromemployersandtheactuaries)
Legalqueries(bothfromemployersandEversheds/Wiltshire
CouncilLegal
Generalemployerqueries
Foranyformsubmissions,i-Connectorprocessingqueries pleasecontinuetousepensionforms@wiltshire.gov.uk
i-CONNECTONBOARDING
Overthecomingmonthswewillbe contactingemployerswho arenotyetoni-Connect,toget onboarded.
i-Connectallowsemployersto automaticallyuploaddatatoour database,savingbothemployers andtheFundtime,withimproved controlsandaccuracy
Usingi-Connectalsoremovesthe needtoprovidedetailedyearend information(assumingallmonthly submitteddataisaccurate)as informationwillhavebeenreceived monthly.
Additionallyusingi-Connectallows memberstoviewtheirlatestpension figuresonamonthlybasisviaMy WiltshirePension,theirsecureonline portal.
Don'tworry,wewillprovidelotsof supportalongthewaytohelp makethetransitionas easyaspossible.
ThePensionsRegulator(TPR)has recentlypublishedablog coveringtheprogressofautoenrolment,effortstoensure complianceandwhatsupportis availableonline.
REMEMBER
Employersmustre-enrolstaff–andthenredeclaretheir compliance–everythreeyears tomeettheirdutiesandensure savers ’pensionsstayontrack TPRBLOGON AUTOMATIC ENROLMENT
CLICKTOVIEWTHE BLOG
NEWFUNDACTUARY
APPOINTED
Wearedelightedtoannouncethat followingacompetitivetendering process,wehaveappointedBarnett WaddinghamastheFund'snew actuaryasofJune2024
TheyarealeadingindependentUK professionalservicesconsultancyat theforefrontofrisk,pensions, investment,andinsurance.
“BarnettWaddinghamaredelightedtohavebeenappointedtodeliveractuarial,benefits andgovernanceconsultancyservicestotheWiltshirePensionFundandwearelooking forwardtoasuccessfulpartnership.WewillbeworkingcloselywiththeFundtoensurea smoothtransitionandtoprovidethebestpossibleservicefortheFundemployersand membersinthefuture”
FAQsforourEmployershavebeenlistedon ourwebsite,coveringthingslike:
Whenwillthechangeoccur?
Whatimpactwillthishaveonmy organisation'semployercontributionrate? Willthechangeinactuarycostour organisationmoreinactuarialfees? Willthischangeaffecthowemployersare assessedatthetriennialvaluationand/or whenanewcompanyjoins e.g.catering/cleaningcontractors andmore...
Reminders
ANNUALBENEFITSTATEMENTS
Justareminderthatthesewillbesentoutto activemembersinAugust
Pleasebeawarethatwemayforwardon memberqueriesiftheserelatetotheirfigures,as wehavebasedourcalculationsonthedatayou haveprovided
AUTHORISEDCONTACTS
Hastherebeenachangeinyourteams? Visitourwebsitetocompleteourauthorised contactsformandifi-Connectaccessis alsorequiredthei-ConnectChange/New UserRequestForm
OUTSOURCING
Weknowthisisabusytimeforacademies inishingofftheircurrentyear,andplanningfor henextacademicyear.
Asareminder,pleasenotifyuspriortoany payrollchanges,TUPEs/transfers,re-tendersfor newcateringorcleaningcontracts
CHANGEINPOSTALADDRESS
EH540HH
postaladdressischanging.Our inTrowbridge,withallour managedthroughthebelowPO onFund, POBox2096, LIVINGSTON
In other news...
ATTHISTIMEOFYEAR,WEAREPUBLISHING REPORTSTOREFLECTONLASTYEAR'SACTIVITIES ANDDEMONSTRATEOURCOMMITMENTTO RESPONSIBLEOWNERSHIPANDSTEWARDSHIP.
Responsible Investments& Stewardshipin Action
Inthisreport,webringour investmentstolifebysharing examplesandstoriesofour workinaction!
Asproudsignatoriesofthe StewardshipCodesince2022, wealsopublishamore detailed,comprehensivereport onouractivities,availableon ourwebsite.
Affordable HousingImpact Report
Wearedelightedtoshareour latestreport,whichhighlights keymetricsshowinghowwell theportfoliomeetsits objectives
Webelievethatthepositive impactsdeliveredbyinvesting inaffordablehousingare completelyintegraltothe investmentcase.
Employerresources
EMPLOYER SITE MEMBER WEBINARS
LGPS Regulations and Guidance
USEFULLINKS
EmployerGuidesandVideos
Trainingrequests
Employerforms
LGPSEmployerbitesizetraining
