Concerns that Pembrokeshire County Council has “serious rental arrears of more than £2m” are to come under the spotlight in a series of questions to senior councillors at County Hall today.

Merlin’s Bridge councillor John Cole, in a submitted question to be heard at the May 9 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, will ask: “In the budget seminars. It was reported that the council has serious rental arrears that are over £2 million.”

In a three-pronged question to Cabinet Member for Housing Operations & Regulatory Services Cllr Michelle Bateman, he will ask:

• “What amount of arrears are attributed to housing benefit not being passed on to the council by tenants?

• “What is the highest, lowest and average amount of arrears owed and number of tenants in arrears?

• “Would it not be prudent to have a clause in Tenancy agreements that tenants agree that housing benefit rents are made directly to the Council, thereby negating the arrears occurring in the first instance.”

A similar point is to be raised by Conservative group leader Cllr Di Clements with another Cabinet member.

The county councillor for Marletwy will ask two related questions:

• “Can the Cabinet member for Finance [Cllr Alec Cormack] provide me with the current number of properties in council tax arrears and the total figure of such arrears?

• “What were the above figures a year ago, and what are the estimated figures a year from now?”

The questions are expected to be answered by the appropriate Cabinet members at the May 9 meeting.