Changes to how Powys councillors choose their chairman, vice-chairman and assistant-vice chairman could see the historic county shires of Montgomeryshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire finally consigned to the history books.

Up to now, separate shire committees made up of councillors representing Powys County Council wards in Montgomeryshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire have come together ahead of the annual meeting in May to select one amongst them to become assistant vice-chairman.

The councillor then progresses to become vice-chairman and then chairman, taking charge of council meetings and attending civic events on behalf of the council.

Under this system, councillors from each shire have taken turns at the helm, but the selection process could soon change.

Councillors at a meeting of the Democratic Services committee on Tuesday, September 2, proposed scrapping the current system as part of a swathe of changes needed to update the council’s constitution.

This is part of a full constitutional review by council legal officers, to be discussed in stages over the coming months and later ratified by all councillors.

Cllr Gareth E Jones (Powys Independents - Llanelweedd) brought the issue to the committee’s attention.

Cllr Jones said: “Perhaps I should not be saying this as a member from Radnorshire, but personally I think rotating the chair across the three shires is not equitable.

“I would like to propose that we do it on fourths so that we have Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, Montgomeryshire, Breconshire.

“It’s still not going to be quite right, but it would give a better balance.”

Cllr Jones added: “It doesn’t seem right to me that Radnorshire gets twice the chairs that it’s really due.”

Plaid Cymru group leader Cllr Elwyn Vaughan (Glantwymyn) believed the proposal should go a “step further” and simplified to just nominations and votes at the annual meeting.

Cllr Vaughan said: “We are one Powys.

“This is the only thing that’s left over from the shires, and I think the chair and vice-chair etc should be nominated and elected by full council.”

Committee chairman, Cllr Graham Breeze (Powys Independents - Welshpool Llanerchyddol) believed that a fully fleshed out proposal should come back to future Democratic Services meeting for discussion.

But Cllr Sarah Williams (Labour - Ystradgynlais) said that she was ready to second Cllr Vaughan’s proposal to take it to a vote.

Head of legal services and monitoring officer Clive Pinney came up with precise wording for the proposal to change section 4.10 of the constitution.

Mr Pinney said: “4.10 will become, the post of chair, vice-chair and assistant vice-chair will be nominated by councillors.”

The committee voted to agree the proposal.

Montgomeryshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire are three of the original 13 counties of Wales that existed from 1536 to 1974.

They were abolished as administrative counties when Powys County Council created in 1974 - but continued as district councils.

After a further local government reorganisation in 1995/1996, the three district councils were abolished as Powys became a unitary local authority.

Shire committee meetings, which let councillors discuss local issues, were scrapped in 2018 to save £175,000 a year.