A POTENTIAL headache has been caused by the need for Powys County Council to hold a full council meeting to vote on setting up a pension reserve fund.

Head of Finance, Jane Thomas, reminded cabinet members at their meeting on Tuesday, June 16, that the decision would need to be taken by all councillors.

The financial report for the 2019/20 revealed that too much money had been collected in pension contributions during the year.

This is because the payment is made as a lump sum, which is supposed to guard against a falling payroll.

But £750,000 more than the lump sum payment, was collected in pension contributions.

According to th PCC constitution decision on anything over £500,00 needs to be taken by all councillors.

Ms Thomas, said: “Because it’s £750,000 to set up that pension fund reserve the recommendation would need to go to full council.”

Council leader, Councillor Rosemarie Harris (Llangynidr – Independent) said: “We’ll have to deal with that, I’m just wondering about setting up a full council meeting and voting.

“We’ll have to pick our way through that to take the decision.”

Cllr Harris thanked Ms Thomas for reminding her of the protocol.

The decision was on of several that were noted and approved from the finance report and update on the capital funding programme for the council’s building projects for 2019/20

Finance portfolio holder, Cllr Aled Davies (Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochanat & Llansilin) had told councillors that almost £20million of funding for the councils building programmes, had to be rolled over for use in the future.

School building project,s flood alleviation schemes, major infrastructure, houses and commercial building projects had all fallen behind due to delays and problems, during 2019/20 including the storms in February and coronavirus have not helped the situation.

Originally, PCC had £92.34 million available for it’s building projects but this was re-profiled to £72.60 million.

Cllr Davies added that some of the funding allocated to projects had been redirected to the council’s reserve funds.

Although cabinet and scrutiny committee meetings restarted by remote attendance in May, there have been no full council or planning committee meetings.

The annual meeting which was due to take place on May 14 was cancelled.

The Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Meetings) (Wales) Regulations 2020 came into force on April 22 made changes to the Local Government Act Wales allowing meetings to take place by remote attendance but an annual meeting of the full council needs to take place by December 31.