FLAGS will be flown As Powys County Council buildings to celebrate St David’s Day on March 1 and also on September 16 to celebrate Owain Glyndwr .

Councillors voted by a resounding 36 votes to 1 in favour of the second part of a notice of motion put forward by Plaid Cymru and Green group leader Cllr Elwyn Vaughan.

But the first part of his motion – which was to see Powys County Council back moves to make St David’s Day a national bank holiday were scuppered by 12 votes to 25 against as the discussion centred around how much giving county hall staff a day off would cost.

The cost of around £600,000 for an extra bank holiday said by cabinet member for Human Resources and Communications Cllr James Evans skewed the discussion.

The powers on bank holidays reside in Westmister and until they get transferred to Cardiff Bay, support from Powys CC for a bank holiday would be just theoretical.

Cllr Elwyn Vaughan, said: "Powys should be the bridge that unifies the north with the south, I’m asking you to support the principle as the powers need to be transferred from Westminster."

The motion was supported by Cllr Bryn Davies, who added: “Culture should be just as important as the economy and good government should lead on this not just on financial issues.

“St David was a descendant of the Powys royal family and several of Owain Glyndwr’s major battles were fought within Powys.”

“It’s St Dwynwen’s day (patron saint of Welsh lovers January 25) we should share the love with the people of Powys and Wales.”

Cllr Myfanwy Alexander (cabinet member for education) said she would prefer a bank holiday on May 27 to celebrate Powys’ patron saint, Melangell and argued that having children celebrate St David’s Day at school was of more worth than giving them the day off.

“We would have to rely on communities organising their own events to celebrate St David and pupils would miss out on celebrating with their friends,” said Cllr Alexander.

St Andrew’s day on November 30 and St Patrick’s day on March 17 are official bank holidays in Scotland and Northern Ireland

In Wales all political parties support making St David’s day an official bank holiday.