6(1)The Council, with the consent of the Secretary of State, may—E+W
(a)pay, or make payments in respect of, pensions or gratuities to or in respect of employees or former employees;
(b)provide and maintain such schemes (whether contributory or not) for the payment of pensions and gratuities to or in respect of employees or former employees.
(2)References in this paragraph to pensions and gratuities include references to pensions or gratuities by way of compensation to or in respect of employees who suffer loss of employment or loss or diminution of emoluments.
(3)If any person—
(a)on ceasing to be employed by the Council, becomes or continues to be one of their members, and
(b)was, by reference to his employment, a participant in a pension scheme maintained by the Council,
the Council may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, make provision for that person to continue to participate in that scheme, on such terms and conditions as they may with the consent of the Secretary of State determine, as if his service as a member were service as an employee; and any such provision shall be without prejudice to paragraph 4.