RESOLVED – That Councillor Ross be elected Chair for this appeal.

Apologies for absence were noted as above. 

None. 

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which

by reason of special circumstances the Chair is of the opinion should be

considered at the meeting; the reason(s) for such urgency to be stated.

None. 

To identify items where resolutions may be moved to exclude the public and press. (For items marked * the public and press may be excluded from the meeting).

RESOLVED – That agenda item 7 ‘Application under Stage Two of the Pensions Act 1995, Section 50(2)(b)’ be considered in the absence of the public and press.

None. 

The Appeals and Standards Committee met to consider an application under Stage Two of the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP), which requested the Appeals and Standards Committee to reconsider a decision made under Section 50(2)(a) of the Pensions Act 1995.

The Appeals and Standards Committee was requested to note that the Stage Two Appeal was being presented following the applicant’s IDRP Stage One dispute, as determined by the Deputy Chief Fire Officer in the notice of decision dated 7 June 2019. 

The Committee was referred to the Firefighters Pension Scheme 1992 and in particular, section C9 of the Scheme which set out the circumstances which were relevant to the applicant and references the Authority’s discretion.  In applying this discretion, the Committee considered the specific and special circumstances of the application and ruled in favour to reinstate the applicant’s widow’s pension relating to her first husband’s pension. 

RESOLVED – That after careful consideration of all aspects of the application and its specific and special circumstances, the Appeals and Standards Committee agreed to replace the decision made at the Stage One application and reinstate the applicant’s widow’s pension relating to her first husband’s pension.