|
SYPA: In Focus is Back – Submit Your Questions for the 2025 Edition!
03/07/2025
|
|
|
We’re pleased to let you know that SYPA: In Focus will be returning this Autumn – our digital Annual Report video that gives you updates from across the Fund and answers the questions that matter most to you.
Last year’s launch was a great success – with over 3,000 views and 46 member-submitted questions, it’s clear this new format is helping us reach and engage more of our members than ever before.
Why this approach?
In recent years, we’ve trialled a number of ways to improve member engagement with our Annual General Meeting (AGM) – including district-based meetings, hybrid events, and online access. However, attendance remained very low, even with incentives and flexible formats.
As part of our journey to become a more digital organisation and in response to feedback from our focus group members, we replaced the AGM with SYPA: In Focus. This format allows us to share key updates and respond to your questions without the need to attend a meeting on a set date and time.
Coming this Autumn
This year’s video will again feature:
- Highlights from our 2024/25 Annual Report
- Fund and investment performance updates
- Progress on our Corporate Strategy
- Developments in pensions administration
- Updates on key industry topics like McCloud and the Pensions Dashboard
Get involved – submit your questions
Your questions help shape the video content. If there’s something you’d like to ask about the Fund, please submit it by 5pm on Friday 25th July 2025 using this
short form
We’ll cover as many relevant questions as possible in the video, and publish a full set of Q&As in the News section of our website on the SYPA In Focus page. (Please note: questions should relate to the general Fund, not contain personal pension details or be related to individual circumstances.)
You can, of course, still submit questions at any time during the year by email to customerservices@sypa.org.uk or post – and we’re always happy to provide individual responses or arrange a meeting if needed.
Thank you for helping make last year’s SYPA: In Focus such a success – we look forward to building on that this year and continuing to improve the way we connect with you.
read article »
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
South Yorkshire Pensions Authority Audit of Accounts Year Ended 31 March 2025 Notice of Public Inspection Rights
26/06/2025
|
|
|
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014
Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015
Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2021
Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2022
Notice is hereby given under Regulation 15(2)b of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (as amended by the Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2021 and 2022) that from Friday 27 June 2025 to Thursday 07 August 2025 between 9am and 4.30pm Mondays to Fridays, any person interested may on reasonable notice inspect and make copies of the accounts of the above named Authority for the year ended 31 March 2025 and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts, except as provided for in Section 26(4) to 26(6) of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 in relation to commercially confidential and personal information.
The draft Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 is available on the
Our Accounts
page of our website
The accounts and other documents will be available for inspection; application should be made initially via the email address below.
Contact:
Gillian Taberner, Assistant Director – Resources, Chief Finance Officer:
Email:
gtaberner@sypa.org.uk
South Yorkshire Pensions Authority, Oakwell House, 2 Beevor Court, Pontefract Road, Barnsley S71 1HG
Notice is also given that from Friday 27 June 2025 to Thursday 07 August 2025 the auditor, at the request of a local government elector for the area to which the accounts relate, will give the elector or their representative an opportunity to question them about the accounts. Any such elector or their representative may attend before the auditors and make objections to the Statement of Accounts, provided that such objections have been made in writing to the auditor at the following address before Thursday 07 August 2025. A copy of that written notice must also be sent to the Authority at the email or postal address shown above.
Auditor Name and Address:
Richard Lee, KPMG LLP, 1 St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 3AE
Email:
richard.lee@kpmg.co.uk
Date of this Notice: 26 June 2025
Gillian Taberner
Assistant Director – Resources, Chief Finance Officer
read article »
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Councillor Donna Sutton appointed as South Yorkshire Pensions Authority’s new Chair
24/06/2025
|
|
|
South Yorkshire Pensions Authority (SYPA) has appointed Councillor Donna Sutton, a Rotherham Labour Councillor, as the new Chair of the Authority.
South Yorkshire Pensions Authority is the unique public body responsible for the running of the £11bn South Yorkshire Pension Fund, which is one of the 86 funds within the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in England and Wales. The Fund has around 170,000 members working for approximately 600 different organisations across the County.
Councillor Sutton succeeds Councillor Jayne Dunn, Sheffield Labour Councillor and former Lord Mayor of Sheffield, who has done a brilliant job during her time as Chair.
Barnsley Labour Councillor, Roy Bowser has also been appointed as the Authority’s new Vice Chair. Councillor Bowser has served on Barnsley Council since 2021. He has a professional background in both mining and education and has served as a trade union representative for both the NUM and NEU.
On her appointment, Councillor Donna Sutton said: “I’m proud to be taking on the role of Chair of the Pensions Authority. It’s a privilege to serve an organisation that plays such a vital role in the lives of our members, employers, and South Yorkshire communities. I look forward to working with colleagues to ensure the Fund continues to be well managed, responsible and focused on delivering for our members.”
George Graham, Director of South Yorkshire Pensions Authority, added:
“We’re pleased to welcome Cllr Sutton as our new Chair and Cllr Bowser as Vice Chair. They bring valuable local insight and experience to the Authority, and I’m looking forward to working with them as we continue to build on our strong foundations and push forward with our long-term goals.”
read article »
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Links for the pension sessions on 18th and 19th June
16/06/2025
|
|
|
Here are the links's for the two online pension sessions taking place this week:
mypension for active members 5.30-6.30 pm on Wednesday 18th June: https://vimeo.com/event/4829336
mid life planning 5.30-6.30 pm on Thursday 19th June: https://vimeo.com/event/4829344
If you haven't joined us for one of our Vimeo sessions before read on for a short guide on how to register for a free account.
You will need to register for a free Vimeo account first so please give yourself time to do this before the session starts.
Follow our 5 easy steps below to get started:
- You will need to either click the link for the event on the email we have previously sent inviting you to the session, and you will get a log in / sign up pop up or click here: https://vimeo.com/ and use the grey ‘join’ button in the top right of the screen.
- From here you can register by entering your name, email address and then you will set a password which must be at least 8 characters long and contain at least one number and one symbol. For example: password9!
- It will then log you in, if you accessed through the link for the session, you will be ready to go on the right screen.
- If not, you will need to find that link on your emails and then you may need to log in again using your new Vimeo account details.
- You will then see the screen that will show the presentation. If that chat box isn’t already open, click on the ‘chat’ icon on the right hand side of the screen to open up the chat box to ask any questions you may have during the presentation.
If you’re unable to attend or miss out this time, don’t worry—further sessions will be available later this year, so keep an eye out for future announcements! We will also upload the recording next week to the website.
read article »
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You Said / We Did: Improving Digital Communications for SYPA Members
10/06/2025
|
|
|
In December 2024, we invited members to share their views through our Digital Communications Survey – and 1,808 members responded. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and ideas.
To make sure the results reflect all types of SYPA members fairly, we weighted the responses to balance the higher number of replies from pensioners with the total membership split across active, deferred, and retired members.
What You Told Us
You gave us valuable feedback on how we communicate with you digitally – what’s working, what could be improved, and what you'd like to see more of. Some clear themes emerged:
• The website needs to be easier to navigate.
• Members want clearer communication about pension benefits.
• Many of you value email and want it to be our primary method of contact.
• There's growing demand for accessible pension education across a range of formats.
• Some members still want or need printed options, so flexibility matters.
What We’re Doing
Your feedback has helped shape our Communications and Engagement Strategy through to 2028. We've created a detailed action plan based on what you told us, and work is already underway.
Here's a snapshot of what we’re doing:
✅ Improving Access to Pension Information
• We're redesigning our website to improve speed and navigation.
• We’ve already added pop-up messages to MyPension to help you access key documents like your Annual Benefit Statement.
• We’re simplifying login processes and boosting awareness of our FAQs, video guides, and support options.
✅ Enhancing How We Communicate
• Email will be our main response method, where possible.
• We'll continue to offer paper documents for those who prefer them. (on request from members)
• Our newsletters will include more helpful content – such as pension updates, retirement tips, and tax information.
✅ Expanding Education and Support
• We'll continue offering live and recorded pension webinars.
• New members now receive details about our “Understanding Your Pension” sessions straight away.
• More step-by-step guidance and tailored content will be added to help members nearing retirement.
✅ Strengthening Digital & Social Media Engagement
• A new young members' newsletter is in the works.
• We’re enhancing our tools like the pension calculator/forecasts and retirement access checklist.
• We’ll be sharing more bite-sized videos and Q&As through social media.
✅ Listening to You
• We’ve introduced feedback surveys after calls, emails, and retirement journeys.
• A bulk reminder email is planned for members who haven’t accessed their statements.
• Digital communication surveys will now run every 2.5 years.
Read More About Our Plans
To see the full summary of member feedback and our detailed three-year action plan, take a look at our updated 2025-2028 Consultation Communications and Engagement Strategy on our website here.
Thank you again to everyone who took part in the survey. Your views are helping us build better, clearer, and more accessible communication for all SYPA members.
read article »
|
|
|
|
|
|
|