Cardigan town councillors have clashed over a National Eisteddfod donation when the unique arts, music and cultural festival comes to Llantood, just across the Pembrokeshire border, in August 2026.
In a fiery exchange, Cllr Nick Bolton hit out at Cllr Elaine Evans’ proposal of a £20,000 donation for the event – scheduled to be held exactly 850 years after Lord Rhys launched the first Eisteddfod at Cardigan Castle in 1176.
“That’s way too much – it should be half that,” he told her. “There’s a lot of anger out there about the rise in council tax for a start.
“Yes, it would be lovely to give £20,000, but I think that in this day and age and taking on board the challenges that we face, £10,000 would be enough.”
Councillors were told that the nearby village of Cilgerran was making a donation of £10,000.
Cllr Evans replied she was swayed by the potential numbers of Eisteddfod visitors who would make the short trip up to Cardigan from the Maes in north Pembrokeshire.
“Think of the amount of trade this will bring in to Cardigan,” she told Cllr Bolton. “We are going to benefit far more as a community than Cilgerran.”
Cllr Catrin Miles agreed. “Thousands upon thousands of people will attend and they’re not going to spend all their time on the Maes,” she said.
Members proposed that the £20,000 donation would be paid over a period of two years, but Cllr Bolton continued to advise caution, pointing out the authority’s cash burden was increasing.
“We agreed to cut spending at our last budget meeting,” he recalled. “Now we’re going to give £20,000 for the Eisteddfod – that’s too much.
“We have to fund three sets of toilets, extra grass cutting for our handyman and a street cleaner.
“How do we justify spending this amount of money on people visiting the town for a short period of time? This’ll affect our money for the next five years or so.”
He was backed up by Cllr Richard Davies who warned the town’s toilets needed to be ‘up and running’ to cope with the anticipated influx.
“We need to go into our reserves,” he said. “And we have just 12 months left to sort it.”
Town clerk Eleri Maskell confirmed the town council’s reserves were too high. “The recommended amount is 33 per cent,” she added. “Ours are currently closer to 50.”
Cllr Evans was backed up by Cllr Trystan Phillips who said the Llantood festival would draw people from all parts of Wales.
“We should support the Eisteddfod as much as we can,” said Cllr Philippa Noble, “but while we’re spending the town’s money can we see whether there are concessions for families with children?
“I, for one, would feel a lot happier about spending that amount of money if we can get children in for free.”
And this point was expanded by Cllr Evans, who asked whether schools could receive Eisteddfod tickets at a discount for youngsters who had never previously attended such an event.
“It would be a crying shame if some people are left out,” she added.
A motion to pay a £20,000 donation – the money coming from town council reserves and spread over two years – was carried by eight votes to two, with Cllrs Bolton and Davies voting against.
