Cllr Gary Price has also said he sometimes feels like "a small cog in the machine" as a councillor because council officers "steamroller" elected members who have been elected to fight for Powys constituents.

As part of the county council's Access to Services initiative plans are afoot to transform the historic chamber into a "meet and greet" area where members of the public can come and talk to council staff.

Cllr Price is concerned the proposals will mean changing the layout of the chamber and the removal of the chairman's bench, seen as the "essence" of the building.

Proposed changes were explained to Radnorshire members at a meeting before Christmas and they were asked to accept a report.

The meeting was littered with confusion, however, after an amendment, proposed by Cllr John Thompson, was ignored and chairman John Brunt, who had pressed members to accept the report as it was, cast the deciding vote.

Cllr Thompson said proposals would "destroy" the meeting chamber and described them as "an absolute outrage".

Cllr Brunt said he would take legal advice on the mix-up and report at the next meeting.

Cllr Price questioned the process and says he will not forget at next Radnorshire meeting.

"I will certainly raise it at the next meeting," he said.

He added there was no need to locate council services in the council chamber at the Gwalia and said Committee Room A would be just as suitable.

"I'm not prepared to lie back and take it, changing the chamber would be like throwing away the history of Radnorshire."

Cllr Price also bemoaned the role officers from the County Council play in council meetings.

"Officers can advise councillors but ultimately we, acting on our constituents behalf, have to make the decisions.

"Officers often steamroller us.

"They are public servants and the tax payers are paying their wages."