A RURAL community council near Llanidloes will need a trio of Powys County Councillors parachuted in to allow it to operate again.

In October, a mass resignation of councillors took place at Trefeglwys Community Council which leaves it “inquorate” as just three councillors remain.

They need at least four members to be able to operate, meaning the council has been unable to hold meetings, make decisions or pay their bills.

This is the second time in the last decade that Trefeglwys council has been in danger of folding.

At a meeting of Powys County Council on Thursday, December 5 councillors are expected to agree that Plaid Cymru group leader Cllr Elwyn Vaughan (Glantwymyn) and Conservatives Cllrs Les George (Caersws) and Karl Lewis (Llandinam with Dolfor) are appointed sit on the council until new community councillors are voted in.

For Cllr George this is the second time that he has been asked to step in to help Trefeglwys council as part of a process which is called a “removal of difficulty order.”

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The council’s head of legal services and monitoring officer Clive Pinney said: “Trefeglwys council has contacted Powys council to seek support, as it is no longer quorate and therefore unable to operate.

“On October 7 and 8, seven community councillors resigned and left the community council inquorate with just three community councillors remaining.

“The clerk has also resigned in the same period.”

It is not known yet why the mass exodus of members took place.

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Mr Pinney explained sections of the Representation of the People Act 1983 gives a principal council the powers to do “anything necessary” to constitute a community council properly.

This allows Powys County Council by order, to appoint persons to fill all or any of the vacancies until other councillors are elected and assume office.

Mr Pinney said that Cllr George, Lewis, and Vaughan had all agreed to their appointments.

Mr Pinney said: “Appointing more than the required number provides a more stable solution for the interim period should any members be unable to attend a meeting.”

If agreed the removal of difficulty order will come into force on Friday, December 6.

In 2017 Trefeglwys council was also in danger of folding as all councillors refused to stand for re-election in the local election in May that year.

Fresh councillors were eventually elected at the end of June 2017.