A SECOND Breconshire councillor has been appointed to Powys council’s cabinet.

Councillor Rosemarie Harris, who represents Llangynidr, will be one of only two women on the cabinet.

Leader Barry Thomas said: "Rosemarie Harris is a highly experienced councillor and will bring additional knowledge and expertise to our meetings, as well as a better geographic and gender balance."

Cllr Thomas reshuffled his cabinet following the resignations of Montgomeryshire members Cllr Phil Pritchard, who was responsible for ICT, and Cllr Darren Mayor, who had responsibility for housing.

Cllr Mayor had to step down from the cabinet as he was a member of the governing body of Llanfyllin High School which broke council rules by spending £500,000 of its delegated budget on bussing in pupils from England.

Cllr Thomas, who is expected to announce new portfolio roles for his cabinet within the next few days, has also confirmed he will not restore the cabinet to 10 members before next year’s council elections.

Cabinet members are paid £29,000 a year.

"I have also decided that the cabinet will continue to operate with nine members until the end of this council’s life. The decision means we will be able to generate some savings but it will mean a change in some cabinet member responsibilities," said Cllr Thomas.

The cabinet has come under fire as only three of its members are from Brecon and Radnorshire. South Powys councillors have accused it of being a "Montgomeryshire" or "northern" cabinet, especially over the past year as it has brought forward plans to close secondary schools in Brecon and Radnorshire.

Cllr Harris, who is a member of Cllr Thomas’ Non Political Group of independent councillors, will join the cabinet at the end of the week. She had previously been a cabinet member and deputy leader after Cllr Thomas was elected council leader in January 2014.

The only other Breconshire councillor and woman on the cabinet is Builth Wells member Cllr Avril York.

The cabinet is drawn from the council’s three independent groups who between them hold a majority on the council.

Cllr Pritchard said he was leaving the cabinet, which he has been a member of since August 2014, to give the leader the flexibility to reshuffle portfolios and provide greater balance to the cabinet.

The Welshpool Castle ward councillor is a former president of the Football Association of Wales.

He said: "Although I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the cabinet, it has been both demanding and rewarding, I feel the time is right to step down. "My decision will give the leader the opportunity he needs to reshuffle portfolio responsibilities and provide a greater balance to the cabinet."