Monmouthshire County Council has hit back at claims an ‘enormous’ amount of money had been set aside to hire a bilingual chef for this month’s Eisteddfod.

A council document seen by the Chronicle showed a £10,000 payment for a Welsh-speaking chef to deliver cooking demonstrations and promote local produce, was ratified by council bosses.

The report, submitted to MCC’s Audit Committee on June 30, stated the sum was allocated to hire high-profile Welsh chef to give bilingual cookery demonstrations over the week-long event this summer.

That chef, the Chronicle has learnt, is Welsh culinary personality, Nerys Howell.

Mrs Howell is a familiar face on S4C - the Welsh medium channel - having presented food and drink shows for the last 20 years. She has also appeared on BBC Radio Wales and has authored books on Welsh cooking.

Her hire was criticised as ‘wasteful’ by MCC’s Labour group leader, Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, a longtime critic of Council spending arrangements.

“I question whether this money is being spent wisely. There is cross party support for the Eisteddfod.

“It is a great event to have in Monmouthshire. Many people will be drawn to it without the Council spending this enormous amount on a Chef, especially while Council services are under severe pressure.

“I believe this money could be better spent in those communities who feel undervalued and neglected. This Conservative council has the wrong priorities. They do not understand what matters to people,” he said.

However, MCC officials defended the decision, saying the fee involved covered a range of services expected from Mrs Howell, and wasn’t a straightforward appearance fee.

Nicola Edwards, MCC’s food and tourism manager, made the request to hire Mrs Howell.

She said, “Nerys Howell has been commissioned by the council to develop, coordinate, manage and compere a packed local food and drink programme in the Vale of Usk Country Kitchen at the Eisteddfod, through the medium of Welsh.

“The purpose of this programme is to raise awareness of the area as a high-quality food tourism destination, and to promote local chefs, restaurants, produce and food and drink attractions like vineyards and cider orchards to Welsh-speaking audiences at the Eisteddfod.

“Her fee includes all the ingredients and equipment for the chef demonstrations, workshops and tastings, as well as for workshop leaders and celebrity Welsh-speaking chefs.

“Nerys is currently preparing an eight-day activity programme, confirming participants, developing content for quizzes and panels, and co-ordinating the kitchen set-up, amongst other things.”

The £10,000 fee is covered through the Rural Development Programme, funded by the European Union.

The National Eisteddfod will be held in Abergavenny between July 29 and August 6.