AVON PENSION FUND
COMMUNICATIONS POLICY STATEMENT

Introduction

This Communications Policy Statement has been drawn up in compliance with Regulation 106B of the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 1997 (as amended) to ensure that the Avon Pension Fund offers clear communication to stakeholders of the LGPS.

Who we communicate with:

• Scheme Members (actives, deferred, pensioners)
• Prospective Scheme Members
• Representives of Scheme Members
• Employing Authorities

The Avon Pension Fund is fully committed to providing all groups with as much information as possible concerning the operation of the Local Government Pension Scheme and the way in which any changes to the Scheme will affect members' benefits.

Scheme Members

The methods by which the Fund communicates with scheme members are as follows:

Newsletters

Both active members of the Scheme and pensioners receive a newsletter (mailed to their home) twice a year.

• Avon Pension News (for active members of the Fund) contains up to date information regarding changes to Regulations that affect members.
• atease (for pensioner members of the Fund) contains many informative articles (e.g. tips for healthy holidays, etc.) as well as several pieces written by the pensioners themselves.

Pensions Clinics

The Avon Pension Fund has successfully been holding clinics since 2001. The clinics have grown in popularity since their inception and are now a regular feature of the pensions calendar. At the clinics, our experienced staff (equipped with laptops) answer individual member queries in a confidential environment.

Scheme literature - Scheme Guides and Leaflets

The Avon Pension Fund produces a comprehensive Scheme Guide and also has a full range of life-event/life-stage leaflets. To increase accessibility all scheme literature is available to download from the Fund's website.

Annual Reports (including an abridged members' version)

The Fund's Annual Report is published in time for the Annual Employer's Conference in November. An abridged members' version is sent with copies of the Avon Pension News.

Pre-Retirement Course

The Fund provides members of both the LGPS and Fire Fighters Schemes with 2 Pre-Retirement Courses a year.

Annual Benefit Statements

New regulations, operative from 1 April 2004 require all Pension Funds to provide active and deferred members with Benefit Statements by April 2005 and annually thereafter. The Avon Pension Fund sent out their first annual Benefit Statements during 2004.

Website

The Fund has its own website which continues to grow following its launch in 2002. Customer accessibility remains the main focus of the website. The website was nominated for the Website Design Award at the Pension Scheme of the Year Awards 2003 and 2004.

The site is continually updated to include new information and currently includes:

• Changes in regulations as well as other relevant news from the world of pensions
• All Avon Pension Fund publications
• An Active members' section explaining joining, leaving and Scheme benefits
• Specialist sections for active members, pensioners and Councillors

Pay advice slips/P60s

Pay advice slips are provided to pensioner members each April and include their P60. A short communication can be included on the pay advice notice. If a member has a change of more than 50p in their monthly pension payment, a pay advice slip will be sent to them in that month.

Prospective Scheme Members Information Leaflet

A scheme information leaflet promoting the Avon Pension Fund is sent out with all job applications

Scheme Booklet

All scheme literature is available to prospective scheme members through their employers or via the website.

Website

The website has a comprehensive section on joining the scheme. The section explains the benefits of the Scheme and instructions on joining, as well as links to all scheme literature.

Representatives of Scheme members

Scheme members' interests in the Fund are represented by the Avon Pension Fund Committee which acts in a trustee capacity. The Committee currently comprises five voting members who are Councillors from Bath & North East Somerset Council, the administering authority. The Committee meets quarterly, with special meetings and workshops arranged as necessary.
Representatives from the employing bodies and member representatives from the trades unions attend the Committee meetings as non-voting members. Their role is to represent the interests of their respective stakeholder bodies and to communicate with them on pension fund issues.
The Avon Pension Fund website has a section on Committee and Governance.

Employing Authorities
Employers Guide

Our comprehensive guide on employers' duties required under LGPS regulations was updated last year. Copies have been given to each employer and the Guide is available on the Fund's website with downloadable forms. The Guide contains step by step procedures on how to deal with all possible eventualities.

Employers Conference

An annual conference for employers during which senior Avon Pension Fund staff deliver presentations on a wide range of topics including Fund performance, Regulation changes, investments, actuarial developments etc.

Internet

An Employers' Information section, which includes a comprehensive employers' guide, as well as a number of downloadable forms.

Employer Meetings

• User Group Meetings for our medium/larger employers (inc Unitaries and Universities/colleges) to provide information/update on any regulation or other legislation and the practical effects on them as employers and to address any issues which affect all bodies.
• SLA review meetings with larger and medium employers to review each others performance and to address any local issues relevant to those employers.

Avon Pension Fund Committee Meetings

Representatives from the employing bodies (as well as member representatives from the trades unions) attend the quarterly Avon Pension Fund Committee meetings as non-voting members, to represent the interests of their respective stakeholder bodies and to communicate with them on pension fund issues.