Powys Council staff who are placed on furlough leave will have their pay topped up so they get the full sum, councillors have been told.

The authority's cabinet will discuss the plans to put some staff on leave at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, May 19, as it attempts to plug a £3.35 million-per-month coronavirus hole in its finances.

And at a meeting of the council's economy, residents, communities and governance scrutiny committee members were told that staff who are put on furlough leave, which would see them receive 80 per cent of their wages from the Government, will receive their full usual sum because the council will pay them the difference.

Cllr Iain McIntosh (Conservative – Yscir) asked for clarity on the proposals.

Cllr McIntosh, said: “It’s been suggested that a lot of the lowest paid council staff are going to be furloughed, while the highest are being protected. I wonder if you could offer some reassurance that this will not be the case?”

PCC chief executive Dr Caroline Turner, said: “We are very keen to reassure staff that they will continue to receive 100 per cent of their salaries and the position will not change in anyway in terms of their employment.

“But, there are specific criteria to enable us to access the scheme to receive the money.

“That is, the post have to be linked to income generation either wholly or partly.

“So we are limited to the types of categories of staff that we are able to consider for this.

“We’re looking of the detail of the scheme and will be discussing it with cabinet tomorrow.”

Cllr McIntosh added:  “Any staff that are furloughed will receive 80 per cent of their wages and the other 20 per cent will be made up by the council – is that correct?”

Dr Turner told the committee: “Absolutely, that’s our intention.”

Committee chair, Cllr Mathew Dorrance (Labour – Brecon St John) added: “Topping up the furlough to ensure staff receive 100 per cent is a very important step and one we are grateful for.”

The government job retention scheme pays workers 80 per-cent of their wages up to £2,500.

Last week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP, announced the scheme would be extended until the end of October.