All Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) articles – Page 16
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News
Lockdown spikes fears of democratic deficit in LGPS
As the Covid-19 crisis unfolds, there could be a worrying governance and democratic deficit in some local authority pension schemes, with only 27 per cent of councils having virtual pension committee meetings.
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PodcastsPodcast: 'Crystal ball-gazing' makes ethical investment tough for trustees
Trustees aiming to make ethical investment decisions can find it tough to justify them without recourse to a crystal ball, as the legal requirements are ill-defined, says Irwin Mitchell’s pensions partner Penny Cogher. In this episode she’s joined by independent consultant and long-time pensions expert Malcolm McLean for a discussion covering capital-backed endgame deals, the complications of new insolvency laws, and some morally dubious LGPS investments.
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News
Suffolk holds firm through equity volatility storm
Suffolk Pension Fund has reported a bounceback in its asset values after taking a £327m hit in the first quarter of the year, as experts said it is still legitimate for immature defined benefit schemes to lean on the equity risk premium.
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News
LGPS has £2bn invested in alleged ‘illegal Israeli settlement’ companies
Thirty-three Local Government Pension Scheme funds retain investments worth more than £2bn in arms manufacturers and in companies accused of supporting illegal Israeli settlements, as some of these schemes opt for engagement instead of divestment.
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News
LGPS prepared for lower investment return in 2020
On the go: While the Local Government Pension Scheme had a return of 6.2 per cent in 2019, its advisory board is monitoring the current market turmoil closely and is prepared for a downturn in 2020.
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PodcastsPodcast: The days of ‘amateurish’ trusteeship are over
Podcast: The challenges posed by Covid-19 will accelerate the move toward professional trusteeship, according to Mercer’s chief actuary Charles Cowling, who argues that the responsibilities in this area post-coronavirus will be too much for lay trustees to handle alone. He and Catherine McFadyen, head of public sector actuarial, benefits and governance at Hymans Robertson, discuss LGPS funding, the impact of mortality rates, and give their predictions about the post-crisis world.
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News
‘Rule-taking’ TPR unable to further ease LGPS cash flow issues
On the go: The Pensions Regulator has cautioned local authority defined benefit schemes that it does not have the power to waive responsibilities such as collection of contributions, as some pension boards begin to worry about cash flows.
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News
Local government pension schemes invest in bank guilty of tax evasion
A number of local government pension schemes have come under fire over their investments in a troubled Israeli bank, according to research seen by Pensions Expert.
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News
LGPS cash flow problems mount as Covid-19 crisis continues
A number of local government pension schemes face cash flow problems as a result of the coronavirus crisis, according to a recent survey.
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News
Supreme Court lifts ban on political investments by local council pensions
On the go: Local council pension schemes can now invest against the government’s foreign policy, after the Supreme Court ruled a ban on politically motivated boycotts was unlawful.
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News
Border to Coast seeks China equity manager
On the go: The Border to Coast Pensions Partnership is looking to appoint a specialist China equity manager, in a mandate worth between £200m and £300m.
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Features
Scottish Widows hires former regulator as master trust chair
Andrew Warwick-Thompson has been at centre of the pensions industry since 1986, in a variety of top jobs including leading roles at the Pensions Regulator and in the Local Government Pension Scheme, and now clutching his first non-executive role as chair of the Scottish Widows Master Trust.
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News
Border to Coast adds fixed income capability
On the go: The Border to Coast Pensions Partnership has added fixed income capability to its offering, seeding a sterling investment grade fund with £2.5bn of capital from partner funds.
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News
Claim companies chasing discriminated civil servants
Members of the Local Government Pension Scheme who are affected by the McCloud discrimination judgment are “being actively encouraged” to lodge a claim against the government.
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News
Northumberland and Tyne and Wear schemes plan merger
The government is planning to merge the Northumberland County Council Pension Fund into the Tyne and Wear scheme, in a move that would generate savings of up to 12 per cent a year.
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News
LGPS returns to drop by almost half in next decade
As the world faces global meltdown and investors are set to receive lower and more volatile returns for the next decade or more, new research suggests that some local authority pension schemes may be overestimating their potential growth.
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News
Cheshire Pension Fund questions members on investments and ESG
The £5.8bn Cheshire Pension Fund is gauging the views of its members and participating employers on its investment strategy and environmental, social and governance policy.
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Features
Camden grills manager as ESG pressure mounts
The £1.7bn Camden Pension Fund has placed one of its managers under review over concerns that it would not be able to comply with the scheme’s climate risk reporting requirements.
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News
Local authorities to have ‘absolute discretion’ on LGPS exit credits
On the go: Local authorities will have “absolute discretion” in determining the amount of any exit credit payment due to employers in the Local Government Pension Scheme, the government has said.
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News
Barnet sacks Capita and joins LGPS shared arrangement
The London Borough of Barnet has ended its contract with outsourcer Capita as the administrator of its pension scheme after a litany of breaches and scandals while it oversaw the Local Government Pension Scheme section.