Farm show faces £1,600 bill for policing

Usk Show secretary Fiona Jenkins said the news that organisers of this year's event on September 13 would be asked to pay that much towards the cost of policing came as a great shock to the committee of volunteers that runs it.

Police say the cost is necessary to ensure manning levels and ensure public safety.

Ms Jenkins said: "We were given a warning by Gwent Police at our meeting with them in March that they would have to start charging for their services, but it still came as quite a shock to hear the bill for a sergeant and three constables could be as much as £1,600.

"Our committee recognises they'll have to pay something this year for the first time, but we are lobbying our MP and AM and hoping that some agreement can be reached because it's a huge amount for such a small show."

She said that they had always had police officers on duty outside the showground in previous years.

Ms Jenkins added that any profit that was made from the Usk Show goes to paying for the Usk Showground, which they bought recently.

Ms Jenkins said: "We bought the showground in Usk for a figure in excess of £300,000.

"Every organisation needs some funding behind them, you only need to have one bad show and you have to dip into any investments."

Although she refused to divulge the amount of profit the show made, tickets last year cost £5 for adults, £3 for OAPS, and £1 for children, so on average, the show would have made about £60,000 in revenue from entry.

But then, they would have had to pay towards the purchase of the ground, and other overhead costs.

David Davies, Assembly Member for Monmouth, said: "Obviously this is a huge financial burden on this local agricultural show, and the decision has huge implications for all such events in the county.

"There is still hardship in the county after foot-and-mouth, and I have written to the chief executive of Monmouthshire county council and to the chief constable, asking them to review this decision."