DISCUSSIONS are taking place between Powys County Council (PCC) and Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) over financial debts.

And councillors told officers not to be frightened of taking the legal route to get the cash back.

The report  for the health and care scrutiny committee showed  that historic debt in the adult services department stood at nearly £9.5 million of which just over £6 million was in relation to the health board.

Cllr Elwyn Vaughan (Plaid Cymru – Glantwymyn) said: “My attention was drawn to debt.

“We can control expenditure but we need to ensure the income comes in.

“When you consider the £9,460million is 73 per-cent of all whole authority’s debt seems and enormous amount.

“The question is what is happening to get the money in and who’s banging heads?”

Committee chairman, Cllr Gwilym Williams (Conservative – Disserth and Trecoed) said that PTHB chief executive Carol Shillabeer had been invited to a meeting of the scrutiny committee.

“I’m sure this money would be one of the questions we could ask her about, so far she has not responded,” said Cllr Williams.

Further invites will be sent.

Corporate director of transformation, Vanessa Young, said: “Just to advise the committee that I actually have been in discussion with the health board finance director about this particular issue.

“And we’re working through the background to understand the issues from the past to resolve them and address any disputed debt.”

Cllr Vaughan added: “With anybody else there would have been a course of action or further steps taken.

“If that is needed so be it, that should be taken but this limbo situation cannot be allowed to continue.”

Ms Young added that she wanted to clarify the amount under discussion and that the £6 million would only be outstanding by a few days, the historic debt was a much lower figure.

“Some of this is money is from the normal course of business,” said Ms Young.

Finance manager, Jackie Pugh, confirmed that some of the debt had already: been cleared by the meeting date and that the historic debt was from four years ago.

Cllr Gareth Morgan, (Liberal Democrat – Llanidloes), said: “It’s unfair that they should be operating on the basis of financial liquidity provided by this authority. We have to put the pressure on them.”

“The health board are not exempt of meeting their liabilities more than anyone else, are they?”

Ms Young stressed to the committee that discussions had been open and everyone is “keen to resolve the issue”.

“Hopefully, we would certainly not want to go or need to use legal resort, that’s the last option,” said Ms Young.

It was decided that Ms Young would update the committee of the situation at their next meeting in August and an invite to PTHB chief executive Carol Shillabeer would be made.