Abergavenny has been selected as the Monmouthshire town to host the 2016 National Eisteddfod, and local councillors are thrilled at the choice of venue and what it will bring to the area.

Monmouthshire County Council has selected Abergavenny's Castle Meadows as the site and is set to rubber stamp the decision at a council meeting later this week. The National Eisteddfod is the most important cultural event in Wales, celebrating importance of the Welsh language, Welsh people, and everything the country has to offer.

The eight-day festival will be broadcast across the world, reaching an audience of millions and will attract many visitors to the area, boosting the local economy. Monmouthshire County Council has worked hard for many years to create its bid to host the Eisteddfod, and is delighted to be able to host the event for the first time since 1913 within the current Monmouthshire boundary.

Plans for bringing the Eisteddfod were first proposed by Councillor Douglas Edwards, a keen advocate of this traditional celebration of Welsh language and culture, and for the past 14 years he has been the driving force behind the campaign from the county, with the support of his wife Edna. Councillor Edwards said "My wife played such a pivotal role in reviving the Abergavenny Eisteddfod after almost 70 years. "From this the Abergavenny Eisteddfod group was created, and while my wife and I have taken a back seat recently, the group has worked tirelessly over the past few years to give Welsh culture prominence across the town. "It was this that really inspired us to try and get the National Eisteddfod to be held in Monmouthshire in 2013, the centenary of the last time Abergavenny held the event.

"The year may have changed since then, but I am delighted to see all of the hard work in getting the Eisteddfod here has paid off."

Mrs Edna Edwards, a former town and Monmouth Borough councillor, has been Douglas' inspiration during the long fought campaign. "My uncle played a huge part in the Eisteddfod, and my father played in Eisteddfodau as a musician," she explained. "As a girl I sang in Eisteddfodau, and I think they are a huge part of Welsh culture. "Abergavenny was not really a culturally Welsh town, it was always very anglicised, but over time more people have moved here and there is more of a Welsh presence in the town now." The proposal to stage the event at Castle Meadows is a bonus for Councillor Edwards, as this will be inside his ward, and he is hoping for a positive outcome from the decision on Friday at County Hall. Councillor Edwards said, "We are just thrilled that Castle Meadows is the option for the site of the 2016 National Eisteddfod hosted by Monmouthshire, and I know it will do some great things not just for Abergavenny, but for the county. "We really hope that people from all over the country will come to the town, and help us promote Monmouthshire as a Welsh county." Councillor Edwards has also been working closely with the town council since he first heard the Eisteddfod could be coming, and has encouraged councillors to contribute £10,000 each year from the budget to go towards the eight day festival. Councillor Edwards said, "The town council will definitely be supporting this whole heartedly as it will do so much for not only Abergavenny, but the whole of Monmouthshire." The issue of financing the Eisteddfod has been raised, and there has been concern at the sum of £580,000 to be paid by the council for the hosting of the event, of which £300k relates to the requirement to underwrite the community fund raising target. However Councillor Edwards is assured by the figures presented that demonstrate how the cost will be more than offset by the income that the event will generate. With the number of attendees estimated at 160,000, with an average day spend of just under £30, and an average of 17 per cent of those staying overnight at an average of cost £30 per person, this brings an income to the county of around £4,302,000. Councillor Edwards said, "We have looked closely at the figures other counties have made from hosting the Eisteddfod, and looked at the estimations of revenue that Powys council will receive in 2015 from their hosting, and we know that the expenditure from MCC will be more than offset by the income to the local area." The announcement has also received support from Cabinet Member for community development Phil Hobson, who said, "It is an honour and privilege to be able to host the 2016 Eisteddfod in Monmouthshire, and while we are certain it will make for a busy two years, it will be a very important event for all of Monmouthshire.

There will be a lot of work to make this event a success, but the rewards will be worth it, as it will bring increased trade into the town to the benefit of local businesses," added Councillor Hobson The Mayor of Abergavenny Councillor Martin Hickman has also expressed his delight at the prospect of hosting the Eisteddfod in the town "It's marvellous news for Monmouthshire and especially Abergavenny," he said. "The town has had a lot of success lately, getting the cycling festivals to be held here, and this is another great thing to put Abergavenny on the map, and keep it there. "It will be fantastic for all of the businesses and the hostelries and we really welcome it in Abergavenny if the decision goes in our favour." Representatives from the Eisteddfod have commented on the importance of the festival travelling across the country, and their excitement to work with Monmouthshire over the next few years. Eisteddfod Chief Executive, Elfed Roberts, said, "The travelling aspect of the National Eisteddfod is incredibly important, and this allows us to visit different parts of Wales every year.  "The festival is different every time, and we respond to local needs and priorities, striving to leave a lasting legacy in any area we visit.  This will be the first time for the festival to visit Monmouthshire for many years, and we are very much looking forward to working on the project with the local council and communities across the county. People often think of the National Eisteddfod as a week-long event, but we will be working in Monmouthshire for the next two years on the community project.  " The week itself is the pinnacle of this project, and we hope that people from all over Wales and beyond will join us during the first week of August in 2016 for what will be a memorable experience for the county and for us as a festival." The final official announcement of where the National Eisteddfod will take place will come in June and everyone has their fingers crossed and their hopes high that 2016 will bring some good news for the county and the town of Abergavenny.