155Withholding payments
(1)A relevant authority must not make payments in respect of relevant matters or a relevant pension to a person who is suspended or partially suspended from being a member of the authority by virtue of Part 3 of the Local Government Act 2000 (conduct of local government members etc.).
(2)The Welsh Ministers may, in such other cases as they consider appropriate, direct a relevant authority not to make payments (including in respect of pensions) in respect of such relevant matters as are specified in the direction.
(3)Before giving a direction under subsection (2), the Welsh Ministers must consult the Panel.
(4)A direction under subsection (2) is enforceable by mandatory order on the application of the Welsh Ministers.
(5)A relevant authority may require the repayment of payments made in respect of relevant matters or a relevant pension to a person in respect of a period during which that person was not entitled to receive the payment for any reason, including (but not limited to) any of the following reasons—
(a)the payments were made in breach of the prohibition in subsection (1);
(b)the payments were made in breach of a direction under subsection (2);
(c)the person had ceased to be a member of the authority.