SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

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o		Preliminary Proxy Statement		o		Confidential, for Use of the
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o		Soliciting Material Pursuant to
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                        WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND                        
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

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WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

 

TO BE HELD MAY 6, 2008

 

 

To the Shareholders of

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Western Asset Premier Bond Fund (the “Fund”) will be held in the Board Room, Fifth Floor, 385 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California, on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 8:30 a.m., Pacific Time, to consider and act upon the following matters:

 

(1) Election of a Board of Trustees; and

 

(2) Such other matters as may properly come before the meeting and any adjournment(s) thereof.

 

The Board of Trustees has fixed the close of business on March 20, 2008 as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment thereof.

 

By Order of the Board of Trustees

 

Richard M. Wachterman, Secretary

 

Pasadena, California

March 28, 2008

 

SHAREHOLDERS WHO DO NOT EXPECT TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING IN PERSON ARE URGED TO DATE, FILL IN, SIGN AND MAIL THE ENCLOSED PROXY IN THE ACCOMPANYING ENVELOPE, WHICH REQUIRES NO POSTAGE IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES.

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND
385 East Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91101

 

PROXY STATEMENT

 

The accompanying proxy is solicited by the Board of Trustees of the Fund for use at the annual meeting of shareholders of the Fund to be held on May 6, 2008 at 8:30 a.m., Pacific time (the “Annual Meeting”), and at any adjournment(s) thereof. At the Annual Meeting, shareholders of the Fund will be asked to consider the election of seven Trustees to the Board of Trustees of the Fund. This Proxy Statement and the form of proxy were first mailed to shareholders on or about April 1, 2008.

 

The Board of Trustees has fixed the close of business on March 20, 2008 as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment thereof. As of the close of business on March 20, 2008, the Fund had issued and outstanding 11,471,348 common shares of beneficial interest, no par value (“Common Shares”), and 2,880 preferred shares of beneficial interest, no par value (“Preferred Shares” and, together with the Common Shares, the “Shares”). The Common Shares and Preferred Shares are the only classes of shares currently authorized by the Fund.

 

Shareholders of the Fund as of the close of business on March 20, 2008 will be entitled to one vote for each Share held, and a fractional vote with respect to fractional Shares, on each matter to which they are entitled to vote, with no cumulative voting rights.

 

Holders of the Common Shares (“Common Shareholders”) and holders of the Preferred Shares (“Preferred Shareholders”) will vote as a single class on the election of five of the Trustees. Pursuant to the Fund’s Bylaws and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), Preferred Shareholders, voting as a single class, have the right to elect two Trustees of the Fund. These Trustees are currently William E. B. Siart and Jaynie Miller Studenmund, each of whom will stand for re-election at the Annual Meeting. The Common Shareholders do not have the right to vote with respect to the election of Mr. Siart and Ms. Studenmund.

 

Thirty percent of the total Shares of the Fund entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting must be represented in person or by proxy to constitute a quorum for the election of the nominees other than Mr. Siart and Ms. Studenmund. Thirty percent of the Preferred Shares entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting must be represented in person or by proxy to constitute a quorum for the election of Mr. Siart and Ms. Studenmund as Trustees. Each shareholder has the right to revoke his or her proxy at any time before it is voted. A proxy may be revoked by filing with the Secretary of the Fund a written revocation or a properly executed proxy bearing a later date or by voting in person at the Annual Meeting. Any shareholder may attend the Annual Meeting, whether or not he or she has previously given a proxy.

The solicitation of proxies for the Annual Meeting will be made primarily by mail. However, if necessary to ensure satisfactory representation at the Annual Meeting, additional solicitation may take place in writing or by telephone or personal interview by officers of the Fund (or their designees), who will not receive compensation from the Fund for such services. As the date of the meeting approaches, if we have not received your proxies, you may receive a telephone call from our proxy solicitor, Computershare Fund Services, Inc. (“CFS”), which has been retained to assist shareholders in the voting process. For these services, the Fund will pay CFS a fee that is not expected to exceed $5,000. However, the exact cost will depend on the amount and types of services rendered. The Fund will reimburse brokers and other nominees, in accordance with New York Stock Exchange approved reimbursement rates, for their expenses in forwarding solicitation material to the beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. All expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation of proxies, including the services of CFS, will be borne by the Fund.

 

Abstentions and “broker non-votes” (i.e., proxies signed and returned by brokers with respect to shares held by brokers or nominees as to which one or more votes is not indicated because (i) instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners or the persons entitled to vote and (ii) the broker or nominee does not have discretionary voting power on a particular matter) will be counted as shares present for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present, but will not be counted as having been voted on the matter in question. Assuming that a quorum would otherwise be present, abstentions and broker non-votes will accordingly have no effect for the purpose of determining whether a Trustee has been elected.

 

Richard M. Wachterman, Marie K. Karpinski and Charles A. Ruys de Perez, the persons named as proxies on the proxy card accompanying this Proxy Statement, were selected by the Board of Trustees to serve in such capacity. Mr. Wachterman and Ms. Karpinski are each officers of the Fund. Mr. Ruys de Perez is the General Counsel of Western Asset Management Company, the Fund’s investment adviser (the “Investment Adviser”). Each executed and returned proxy will be voted in accordance with the directions indicated thereon or, if no direction is indicated, such proxy will be voted for the election as Trustees of the Fund the Board of Trustees’ nominees listed in this proxy statement. Discretionary authority is provided in the proxy as to any matters not specifically referred to therein. The Board of Trustees is not aware of any other matters which are likely to be brought before the Annual Meeting. However, if any such matters properly come before the Annual Meeting, the persons named in the proxy are fully authorized to vote thereon in accordance with their judgment and discretion. Except where a different vote is required by any provision of law or the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, a plurality of a quorum of the Shares necessary for the transaction of business at a shareholders’ meeting will decide any question.

 

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROXY

 

Shareholders of record may submit a proxy in respect of their shares by using any of the following methods:

 

By Telephone.  Submit a proxy by calling the toll-free telephone number printed on the proxy card. The proxy card should be in hand when making the call. Easy-to-follow voice prompts allow the shareholder of record to authenticate his or her identity by entering the validation numbers printed on the enclosed proxy card, provide voting instructions for the shares, and confirm that the instructions have been properly recorded.

 

On the Internet.  Submit a proxy by logging onto the Internet website listed on the proxy card. The proxy card should be in hand when submitting a proxy online. As with telephone proxy submission, simple instructions allow the shareholder of record to authenticate his or her identity by entering the validation numbers printed on the enclosed proxy card, provide voting instructions for the shares, and confirm that the instructions have been properly recorded.

 

By Mail.  Shareholders of record may complete, sign, and date the proxy card and return it in the prepaid envelope provided.

 

Please see the instructions on the enclosed card for telephone touch-tone proxy submission and Internet proxy submission. Shareholders will have an opportunity to review their voting instructions and to make any necessary changes before submitting their voting instructions and terminating their telephone call or Internet link.

 

PROPOSAL

 

ELECTION OF TRUSTEES

 

Seven Trustees are to be elected at the Annual Meeting to serve until their successors have been duly elected and qualified, subject to prior death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office and applicable law and the rules of the New York Stock Exchange. Information about each nominee is set forth in the table below. Each of the nominees is presently a Trustee of the Fund.

 

The Fund’s Bylaws provide that the Board of Trustees will consist of such number of Trustees as may be fixed from time to time by a majority of the Trustees, which number is currently seven.

 

It is the intention of the persons designated as proxies in the proxy card, unless otherwise directed therein, to vote at the Annual Meeting for the election of the nominees named below as Trustees of the Fund. Each of the nominees has agreed to serve if elected at the Annual Meeting. If any nominee is unable or unavailable to serve, the persons named in the proxies will vote the proxies for such other person as the Board of Trustees may recommend.

Information Regarding the Nominees.  Information about the nominees is set forth below. Except for Mr. Gerken, who serves as the Fund’s President, no nominee serves as an officer of the Fund. The address of each nominee is c/o the Fund at its principal business address (385 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101).

 

 

 

 

The following table states the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned as of March 1, 2008 by each nominee in the Fund and, on an aggregate basis, in any registered investment companies overseen or to be overseen by the nominee in the same “family of investment companies.”

 

 

Audit Committee.  The Board of Trustees has established an Audit Committee composed solely of Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Investment Adviser or Subadviser, consisting of Messrs. Arnault, Poladian and Siart and Ms. Studenmund. Each member of the Audit Committee is “independent,” as independence for audit committee members is defined in the currently applicable listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, on which the Common Shares of the Fund are listed and traded. The Audit Committee provides oversight with respect to the accounting and financial reporting policies and procedures of the Fund and, among other things, considers the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund and the scope of the audit and approves services proposed to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm on behalf of the Fund and, under certain circumstances, the Investment Adviser, Subadviser and certain affiliates. The Trustees have adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, a copy of which was attached as Appendix A to the Fund’s Proxy Statement dated March 30, 2007. The Fund does not currently maintain a website on which the charter is available.

The Audit Committee of the Fund has submitted the following report:

 

The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed with management of the Fund the audited financial statements for the last fiscal year. The Audit Committee has discussed with the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm the matters required to be discussed by Statements on Auditing Standards No. 61 (SAS 61). SAS 61 requires the independent registered public accounting firm to communicate to the Audit Committee matters including, if applicable: (1) methods used to account for significant unusual transactions; (2) the effect of significant accounting policies in controversial or emerging areas for which there is a lack of authoritative guidance or consensus; (3) the process used by management in formulating particularly sensitive accounting estimates and the basis for the independent registered public accounting firm’s conclusions regarding the reasonableness of those estimates; and (4) disagreements with management over the application of accounting principles and certain other matters. The Audit Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (requiring the independent registered public accounting firm to make written disclosures to and discuss with the Audit Committee various matters relating to its independence), and has discussed with such independent registered public accounting firm the independence of such independent registered public accounting firm.

 

Based on the foregoing review and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to the Trustees the inclusion of the audited financial statements for the last fiscal year in the Fund’s annual report to shareholders.

 

Ronald J. Arnault (Chairman)
Avedick B. Poladian
William E. B. Siart
Jaynie Miller Studenmund

 

 

Governance and Nominating Committee.  The Board of Trustees has established a Governance and Nominating Committee composed solely of Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Investment Adviser or Subadviser, consisting of Mses. DeFrantz and Studenmund and Mr. Siart. The Governance and Nominating Committee meets to select nominees for election as Trustees of the Fund, to review and make recommendations to the Board with respect to Trustee compensation, and consider other matters of Board policy. The Trustees have adopted a written charter for the Governance and Nominating Committee, a current copy of which is included as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement. The Fund does not currently maintain a website on which the charter is available.

 

The Governance and Nominating Committee requires that Trustee candidates have a college degree or equivalent business experience, but has not otherwise established specific, minimum qualifications that must be met by an individual to be considered by the Committee for nomination as a Trustee. The Governance and

Nominating Committee may take into account a wide variety of factors in considering Trustee candidates, including, but not limited to: (i) availability and commitment of a candidate to attend meetings and perform his or her responsibilities to the Board of Trustees, (ii) relevant industry and related experience, (iii) educational background, (iv) financial expertise, (v) an assessment of the candidate’s ability, judgment and expertise and (vi) overall diversity of the Board’s composition. The Governance and Nominating Committee may consider candidates for Trustee recommended by the Fund’s current Trustees, officers, Investment Adviser or Subadviser, shareholders or any other source deemed to be appropriate by the Governance and Nominating Committee. Candidates properly submitted by shareholders (as described below) will be considered and evaluated on the same basis as candidates recommended by other sources.

 

The policy of the Governance and Nominating Committee is to consider nominees recommended by shareholders to serve as Trustee, provided that any such recommendation is submitted in writing to the Fund, to the attention of the Secretary, at the address of the principal executive offices of the Fund, not less than one hundred and twenty calendar days nor more than one hundred and thirty-five calendar days prior to the date of the meeting at which the nominee would be elected and that such shareholder recommendation contains the information about such nominee required by the Fund’s procedures for shareholders to submit nominee candidates, which are a part of the Governance and Nominating Committee’s Charter. The Governance and Nominating Committee has full discretion to reject nominees recommended by shareholders, and there is no assurance that any such person so recommended and considered by the Governance and Nominating Committee will be nominated for election to the Fund’s Board of Trustees.

 

Executive and Contracts Committee.  The Board of Trustees has established an Executive and Contracts Committee consisting of Messrs. Siart, Arnault, Poladian and Ms. DeFrantz. The Executive and Contracts Committee may meet from time to time between Board meetings in order to consider appropriate matters and to review the various contractual arrangements between the Fund and its affiliated persons.

 

Meetings.  During 2007, the Board of Trustees held six meetings, the Audit Committee held six meetings, the Governance and Nominating Committee held one meeting, and the Executive and Contracts Committee held three meetings. Each Trustee attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board of Trustees and the Committees of the Board of Trustees on which he or she served. The Fund also had a Compensation Committee that met once in February 2007 and was subsequently dissolved. The Governance and Nominating Committee has taken over responsibility for reviewing and making recommendations to the Board with respect to Trustee compensation. Although the Fund’s policies do not require the Trustees to attend the Fund’s annual shareholder meetings, annual meetings are generally held in connection with regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Trustees. Each current Trustee attended the Fund’s annual shareholder meeting in May 2007.

 

Shareholder Communications.  The Board of Trustees has adopted a process for shareholders to send communications to the Board of Trustees. Shareholders may mail written communications to the attention of the

Board of Trustees, care of the Fund’s Secretary, at the principal executive offices of the Fund. The written communication must include the shareholder’s name, be signed by the shareholder, refer to the Fund, and include the class and number of shares held by the shareholder as of a recent date.

 

Trustee Compensation.  Effective April 1, 2008, each Trustee of the Fund who is not an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, the Investment Adviser or the Subadviser receives an aggregate fee of $75,000 annually for serving on the combined Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Fund, Western Asset Funds, Inc. and Western Asset Income Fund. Each Trustee also receives a fee of $7,500 and related expenses for each meeting of the Boards attended in-person and a fee of $2,500 for participating in each telephonic meeting. The Chairman of the Board and the Chairman of the Audit Committee each receive an additional $25,000 per year for serving in such capacities for the combined Boards. Each member of the Audit Committee receives a fee of $5,000 for serving as a member of the Audit Committee for the combined Boards. Other committee members receive $2,500 for serving as a member of each committee upon which they serve for the combined Boards. Committee members also receive a fee of $2,500 for participating in each telephonic committee meeting. All such fees are allocated among the Fund, Western Asset Funds, Inc. and Western Asset Income Fund according to each such investment company’s average annual net assets. Additionally, Mr. Olson receives from the Investment Adviser an aggregate fee of $92,500 annually for serving on the combined Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Fund, Western Asset Funds, Inc. and Western Asset Income Fund, as well as a fee of $7,500 and related expenses for each meeting of the combined Boards attended in-person and a fee of $2,500 for participating in each telephonic meeting.

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, the Trustees received the compensation set forth in the following table for serving as Trustees of the Fund and as Directors of other funds in the same “Fund Complex.”

 

 

 

 

During 2007, the Fund paid no remuneration to its officers, all of whom were also officers or employees of the Investment Adviser or one of its affiliates.

 

Required Vote.  Except with respect to Mr. Siart and Ms. Studenmund, the Trustees of the Fund will be elected by a plurality vote of the Shares voted on the election of Trustees at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy. Mr. Siart and Ms. Studenmund will be elected by a plurality vote of the Preferred Shares (voting as a separate class) voted on their election at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy. The Trustees unanimously recommend that shareholders vote to elect each of the nominees listed above to the Board of Trustees.

 

INFORMATION CONCERNING THE INVESTMENT
ADVISER AND SUBADVISER AND THE FUND’S OFFICERS

 

The Investment Adviser and the Subadviser are subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc., a holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in providing investment advisory services to individuals and institutions. The address of Legg Mason, Inc. is 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The Investment Adviser’s address is 385 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101. The Subadviser’s address is 10 Exchange Square, London, England EC2A2EN. An affiliate of the Investment Adviser, Legg Mason Fund Adviser, Inc., 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, provides administrative services to the Fund.

 

Information regarding the executive officers of the Fund and their ownership of Shares is set forth below, except that information regarding Mr. Gerken, the President of the Fund and a nominee, is provided in the table above with the other nominees. Unless otherwise noted, the address of each officer is c/o the Fund at the address listed above.

 

 

 

 

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 2009 ANNUAL MEETING

 

Proposals that shareholders wish to present to the 2009 Annual Meeting and to have included in the Fund’s proxy materials relating to such meeting pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), must be delivered to the Secretary of the Fund on or before December 2, 2009.

 

Shareholders who wish to make a proposal at the 2009 Annual Meeting — other than one that will be included in the Fund’s proxy materials — should notify the Fund on or before February 15, 2009. Shareholders who wish to propose one or more nominees for election as Trustees, or to make a proposal fixing the number of Trustees, at the 2009 annual meeting must provide written notice to the Fund (including all required information) so that such notice is received in good order by the Fund no earlier than February 5, 2009 and no later than March 7, 2009.

The proper submission of a shareholder proposal does not guarantee that it will be included in the Fund’s proxy materials or presented at a shareholder meeting. Shareholder proposals are subject to the requirements of applicable law and the Fund’s Declaration of Trust and Bylaws.

 

SHARE OWNERSHIP INFORMATION

 

As of March 1, 2008, all Trustees, nominees for Trustee and officers of the Fund as a group beneficially owned less than 1% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund on such date. As of the close of business on March 20, 2008, Cede & Co., as nominee for participants in The Depository Trust Company, held of record 11,451,924 Common Shares (representing approximately 99.83% of the outstanding Common Shares) and all 2,880 outstanding Preferred Shares. Cede & Co.’s address is 55 Water Street, 25th Floor, New York, New York 10041-0001. As of March 1, 2008, the persons shown in the table below owned, to the knowledge of the Fund, beneficially more than five percent of the outstanding Shares.

 

 

 

 

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

 

Section 30(h) of the 1940 Act and Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act require the Fund’s officers and Trustees, the Investment Adviser, the Subadviser, certain affiliates of the Investment Adviser or Subadviser, and persons who beneficially own more than ten percent of a registered class of the Fund’s equity securities, among others, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the

New York Stock Exchange. These persons are required by SEC regulation to furnish the Fund with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

 

Based solely on its review of the copies of such forms received by it, or written representations from certain reporting persons, the Fund believes that, during 2007, all such filing requirements were met with respect to the Fund, except as follows, in each case due to an administrative oversight: (i) Susan Curry, an Assistant Treasurer of the Fund, made a late filing of an initial Form 3 and (ii) Todd Kuehl, the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, made a late filing of an initial Form 3. Neither Ms. Curry nor Mr. Kuehl owned or disposed of Shares during the reporting period.

 

ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS

 

The Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 contains financial and other information pertaining to the Fund. The Fund will furnish without charge to each person whose proxy is being solicited, upon request of such person, a copy of the Annual Report to Shareholders. Requests for copies of the Annual Report to Shareholders should be directed to Western Asset Premier Bond Fund, Attention: Investor Relations, 385 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101 or you may call 866-290-4386.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

The Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees has selected PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, and the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, has unanimously ratified such selection. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s service is subject to termination by a majority of the outstanding Shares of the Fund. Representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are not currently expected to attend the meeting.

 

The following table presents fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for services rendered to the Fund by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP:

 

 

“Audit Fees” represents fees billed for each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered for the audit of the Fund’s annual financial statements for those fiscal years or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory or regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years.

“Audit-Related Fees” represents fees billed for each of the last two fiscal years for assurance and related services reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the Fund’s annual financial statements for those years, including interim audit security pricing and review of the rating agency compliance testing for the Fund’s Preferred Shares.

 

“Tax Fees” represents fees billed for each of the last two fiscal years for professional services related to tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning, including preparation of federal and state income tax returns and preparation of excise tax returns.

 

“All Other Fees” represents fees, if any, billed for other products and services rendered by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to the Fund for the last two fiscal years.

 

For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2007, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP billed aggregate non-audit fees in the amounts of $327,554 and $472,000, respectively, to the Fund, the Investment Adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Investment Adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund.

 

Pre-Approval Policies of the Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee has determined that all work performed for the Fund by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP will be pre-approved by the full Audit Committee and, therefore, has not adopted pre-approval procedures. Since May 6, 2003, all audit and non-audit services performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for the Fund, and all non-audit services performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for the Investment Adviser and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Investment Adviser that provides ongoing services to the Fund (a “Service Affiliate”), to the extent that such services related directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund, have been pre-approved by the Audit Committee. No “Audit-Related Fees,” “Tax Fees” and “Other Fees” set forth in the table above were waived pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(c) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP billed “Audit-Related Fees” in the amount of $145,000 and $208,000, respectively, for non-audit services (a SAS 70 audit to review and test operating effectiveness of controls placed in operation for the Investment Adviser and a review of the Investment Adviser’s Australian Superannuation Circular) that required pre-approval by the Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X during the Fund’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2007. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP did not bill any “Tax Fees” or “All Other Fees” that required pre-approval by the Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X during the Fund’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 or December 31, 2007.

The Audit Committee has considered whether the provision of the non-audit services rendered by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to the Investment Adviser and any Service Affiliate that were not required to be pre-approved by the Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the independence of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

In the absence of a quorum at the Annual Meeting, or (even if a quorum is so present) if sufficient votes in favor of a proposal set forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting are not received by the time scheduled for the Annual Meeting, the persons named as proxies may propose one or more adjournments of the Annual Meeting after the date set for the original Annual Meeting, with no other notice than announcement at the Annual Meeting, to permit further solicitation of proxies with respect to such proposal. In addition, if, in the judgment of the persons named as proxies, it is advisable to defer action on a proposal, the persons named as proxies may propose one or more adjournments of the Annual Meeting with respect to such proposal for a reasonable time. Any adjournment(s) with respect to a proposal will require the affirmative vote of a plurality of the Shares of the Fund entitled to vote thereon present in person or represented by proxy at the session of the Annual Meeting to be adjourned. The persons named as proxies will vote in favor of such adjournment those proxies which they are entitled to vote in favor of the proposal in question. They will vote against any such adjournment those proxies required to be voted against such proposal. The costs of any additional solicitation and of any adjourned session will be borne by the Fund. Any proposals for which sufficient favorable votes have been received by the time of the Annual Meeting may be acted upon and, if so, such action will be final regardless of whether the Annual Meeting is adjourned to permit additional solicitation with respect to any other proposal. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called.

 

OTHER BUSINESS

 

The Fund is not aware of any other matters to be presented for action at the Annual Meeting. However, if any such other matters are properly presented, it is the intention of the persons designated in the enclosed proxy to vote in accordance with their best judgment.

 

By Order of the Board of Trustees

 

Richard M. Wachterman, Secretary

 

March 28, 2008

APPENDIX A

 

WESTERN ASSET INCOME FUND

WESTERN ASSET FUNDS, INC.

WESTERN ASSET PREMIER BOND FUND

 

GOVERNANCE AND NOMINATING COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

As of February 10, 2004

 

Purposes and Organization

 

The purpose of the Governance and Nominating Committee of the respective Boards of Directors/Trustees (each a “Board”) of Western Asset Income Fund, Western Asset Funds, Inc., and Western Asset Premier Bond Fund (each a “Fund”) is to review matters pertaining to the composition, committees, and operations of the Boards. Members of the Committee may not be “interested persons” of a Fund, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Interested Persons”).* This Charter applies separately to each Fund and its Governance and Nominating Committee, and shall be interpreted accordingly. The Committee shall have the following duties and powers:

 

(1) To evaluate and recommend all candidates for election or appointment as members of the Board and recommend the appointment of members and chairs of each Board Committee.

 

(2) To review policy matters affecting the operation of the Board and Board committees and make such recommendations to the Board as deemed appropriate by the Committee.

 

(3) To evaluate periodically the effectiveness of the Board and Board Committees and make such recommendations to the Board as deemed appropriate by the Committee.

 

The Committee shall have the resources and authority appropriate to discharge its responsibilities.

 

The Committee shall meet on a regular basis and be empowered to hold special meetings, as circumstances require. Any action of the Committee shall be taken by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members. Any action of the Committee with respect to Western Asset Income Fund or Western Asset Funds, Inc. may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Committee consent thereto in writing. Any action of the Committee with

 

 

* As contemplated by certain rules under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the selection and nomination of candidates for election as members of the Board who are not Interested Persons shall be made by the incumbent members of the Board who are not Interested Persons.

respect to Western Asset Premier Bond Fund may be taken without a meeting if at least a majority of the members of the Committee consent thereto in writing.

 

Qualifications for Director/Trustee Nominees

 

The Committee requires that Director/Trustee candidates have a college degree or equivalent business experience. The Committee may take into account a wide variety of factors in considering Director/Trustee candidates, including (but not limited to): (i) availability and commitment of a candidate to attend meetings and perform his or her responsibilities on the Board, (ii) relevant industry and related experience, (iii) educational background, (iv) financial expertise, (v) an assessment of the candidate’s ability, judgment and expertise and (v) overall diversity of the Board’s composition.

 

Identification of Nominees

 

In identifying potential nominees for the Board, the Committee may consider candidates recommended by one or more of the following sources: (i) a Fund’s current Directors/Trustees, (ii) a Fund’s officers, (iii) a Fund’s investment adviser(s), (iv) a Fund’s shareholders (see below) and (v) any other source the Committee deems to be appropriate. The Committee may, but is not required to, retain a third party search firm at the expense of the Funds to identify potential candidates.

 

Consideration of Candidates Recommended By Shareholders

 

The Committee will consider and evaluate nominee candidates properly submitted by shareholders on the same basis as it considers and evaluates candidates recommended by other sources. Appendix A to this Charter, as it may be amended from time to time by the Committee, sets forth procedures that must be followed by shareholders to properly submit a nominee candidate to the Committee (recommendations not properly submitted in accordance with Appendix A will not be considered by the Committee).

Appendix A

 

Procedures for Shareholders to Submit Nominee Candidates

 

(As of February 10, 2004)

 

A Fund shareholder must follow the following procedures in order to properly submit a nominee recommendation for the Committee’s consideration.