MONMOUTHSHIRE Council says over 200 jobs have been created as a result of last year's Back 2 Business week.

The four-day event which cost the authority £3,000 to stage last June, was launched to help boost local business and entrepreneurship.

A number of high-profile speakers including Sir Terry Matthews and representatives from Microsoft and Wesley Clover attended the event as well as attracting hundreds of visitors from across the globe.

Seven months on, MCC has announced that 216 jobs have been created as a result of the event.

A spokesman for MCC said: "As a direct result of initiatives either launched at Back 2 Business or that came about as a result of it, 216 jobs have been created in Monmouthshire along with a range of other employment-related benefits."

Although the council could not say what the specific jobs are or where they have been identified, a MCC spokeman said: "As a direct result of B2B we reached an agreement with Torfaen Training to set up Monmouthshire Training.

"This means we are able to offer people traineeships, apprenticeships and employment step placements. This arrangement is a mix of jobs and training placements.

Other opportunities include Melin Homes' work programme which will get 88 Monmouthshire young people back into work and training. This has been incredibly successful.

58 jobs have been created in the first six months of Monmouthshire Enterprise - a joint venture between MCC and Venture Wales to help boost local economic activity.

He added: "In terms of the direct cost to the authority, the event came in at less than £3000. The whole purpose of B2B was to be self sustaining, although the budget for day three was separate. We achieved this through exhibition fees and sponsorship."