MADAM,
What on earth is going on in Monmouthshire? Last year our Council Tax increased by 24% and this year according to reports we can expect a rise of at least 9%. When asked to account for this our councillors reply that the Welsh Assembly have decreased the amount of money allocated which has been worked out by some mysterious formula that is far too complicated for the man in the street to understand.
The money that Monmouthshire receives from the Assembly is by far the lowest per head in Wales, although the Council is one of the most efficient which only leads to the conclusion that we are being used as a money cow to support others' inefficiencies.
As the Assembly is not treating Monmouthshire as part of Wales could our County Council make savings by not producing bilingual paperwork and signs at vast and unnecessary expense and also discontinue the teaching of Welsh in local schools!
P T Nicholl
Newcastle,
Monmouth