The Eisteddfod claims it does not have to pay for the St David's event

Dyfed-Powys Police are set to pursue the National Eisteddfod of Wales for money it claims it is owed for policing the event for the last two years.

The police force claims the committee of the eisteddfod - Wales' premier cultural Welsh language festival - is refusing to pay the �10,000 bill it submitted for the 2002 event at St David's in Pembrokeshire.

But the eisteddfod's director claims it never agreed to pay the force at all.

On Wednesday Dyfed-Powys Police Authority's finance committee agreed to ask the chief constable to pursue the eisteddfod for the money owed for the St David's event.

The authority has asked the police service through the Chief Constable to continue discussions with the eisteddfod to pursue the outstanding monies Police authority spokesman

It will also charge for this year's event at Meifod in Powys even though it was recorded that it had been agreed by the Divisional Commander for Powys that no charge would be levied for the 2003 Eisteddfod.

The authority also decided the eisteddfod should be charged for policing the event in future.

Pursue

An authority spokesman said: "It was decided at the meeting that in order to ensure consistency of approach a charge should be levied on events such as the Eisteddfod as is currently being levied on the Brecon Jazz Festival and the Royal Welsh Show.

"The authority has asked the police service through the chief constable to continue discussions with the eisteddfod to pursue the outstanding monies."

Chief Superintendent Paul Amphlett, Pembrokeshire's divisional commander, said the St David's event had in fact cost the police �30,000.

The police will try and get paid for both the Powys and Pembrokeshire events

"We decided to charge the eisteddfod �10,000 but, because of administration problems, we didn't bill them straight away.

The invoice for the 2002 festival was sent at the start of August 2003.

But National Eisteddfod director, Elfed Roberts, said his organisation had never agreed to pay for policing the 2002 festival.

"There has been a misunderstanding. Our information is that we didn't agree to pay for the policing of the St David's event," said Mr Roberts.

"We have not paid because we understand that we don't have to."

"I have contacted Dyfed-Powys Police about the matter and I have asked them to get back to me.

The force charged �15,000 for policing the Llanelli eisteddfod three years ago which was paid in full.