Important guests: Former secretary of state Henry Kissinger is believed to have attended the elite secret meeting . British taxpayers will have to foot the bill for the ‘exceptional costs’ of policing of the clandestine Bilderberg meeting to be held in Watford next week. The annual meeting of royalty, prime ministers and business chiefs - famous for being shrouded in secrecy - is taking place in Britain for the first time since 1998. Given the amount of – so far unnamed - . prestigious people set to attend the event at the luxury Watford hotel . in Hertfordshire, local police have been forced to step up security, . which will be part-funded by the government. The . cloak of secrecy surrounding the meetings, which ban journalists from . attending, has fuelled various conspiracy theories, including that . attendees are plotting world domination. As a result, there are fears that anti-capitalist protesters will cause ‘violence and disturbance’ at the meeting on 6 June. Hertfordshire . police have refused to release the cost of security for the event, . which has previously drawn mass demonstrations in other locations around . the world. However, they are in talks with the Home Office about a grant for ‘unexpected or exceptional costs’ that is only given out if it threatens the stability of the force’s policing budget. Dorothy Thornhill, the mayor of Watford, told the Watford Observer: 'I have my concerns about it because it does attract people who can and do cause violence and disturbance. ‘But I am confident the police will be able to minimise that and give them their right to protest. Tory Minister without portfolio Kenneth Clarke (left) and PM David Cameron are expected to be among the 140 invited guests in attendance . Policing resources in Watford have been stretched to accommodate the elite guests that will arrive tomorrow. Protest are expected to break out . ‘I am ambivalent about whether this is a good thing. It’s potentially a positive thing as long as things don’t kick off,’ she said. The invitation-only Bilderberg meetings, which began in 1954, are attended by around 140 people of influence from North America and Europe. Previous guests are thought to have included Henry Kissinger, David Rockefeller, Prince Charles, Peter Mandelson, David Cameron and Queen Beatrix of Holland.
Hertfordshire policing budget under pressure due to security costs .
Journalists banned from attending the mysterious event .
Mayor of Watford says violent protest could erupt .
Meetings started in 1954 with 140 European and American leaders invited each year .
Important guests: Former secretary of state Henry Kissinger is believed to have attended the elite secret meeting . British taxpayers will have to foot the bill for the ‘exceptional costs’ of policing of the clandestine Bilderberg meeting to be held in Watford next week. The annual meeting of royalty, prime ministers and business chiefs - famous for being shrouded in secrecy - is taking place in Britain for the first time since 1998. Given the amount of – so far unnamed - . prestigious people set to attend the event at the luxury Watford hotel . in Hertfordshire, local police have been forced to step up security, . which will be part-funded by the government. The . cloak of secrecy surrounding the meetings, which ban journalists from . attending, has fuelled various conspiracy theories, including that . attendees are plotting world domination. As a result, there are fears that anti-capitalist protesters will cause ‘violence and disturbance’ at the meeting on 6 June. Hertfordshire . police have refused to release the cost of security for the event, . which has previously drawn mass demonstrations in other locations around . the world. However, they are in talks with the Home Office about a grant for ‘unexpected or exceptional costs’ that is only given out if it threatens the stability of the force’s policing budget. Dorothy Thornhill, the mayor of Watford, told the Watford Observer: 'I have my concerns about it because it does attract people who can and do cause violence and disturbance. ‘But I am confident the police will be able to minimise that and give them their right to protest. Tory Minister without portfolio Kenneth Clarke (left) and PM David Cameron are expected to be among the 140 invited guests in attendance . Policing resources in Watford have been stretched to accommodate the elite guests that will arrive tomorrow. Protest are expected to break out . ‘I am ambivalent about whether this is a good thing. It’s potentially a positive thing as long as things don’t kick off,’ she said. The invitation-only Bilderberg meetings, which began in 1954, are attended by around 140 people of influence from North America and Europe. Previous guests are thought to have included Henry Kissinger, David Rockefeller, Prince Charles, Peter Mandelson, David Cameron and Queen Beatrix of Holland.
policing of the clandestine Bilderberg meeting to luxury Watford hotel . in Hertfordshire, local which ban journalists from . attending, has the event, . which has previously drawn mass budget. Dorothy Thornhill, the mayor of Watford, that and give them their right to protest. Tory 140 invited guests in attendance . Policing in 1954, are attended by around 140 people of