SIR,

I am left wondering whether one half of Monmouthshire County Council's (MCC) Highways Section knows what the other half is doing.

I have to agree with the local resident who approached me last week at Cross Ash to complain about the blatant waste of taxpayers' money that has been squandered on roadside direction signs.

Who coined the name 'Croes Onnen' for Cross Ash?

It was certainly not the local residents.

As usual, Llangattock-Vibon-Avel Community Council, as statutory consultees, were ignored.

This is what the Welsh Language Board had told us: "You will be interested to know that MCC submitted only the form Cross Ash for the Place-names Standardization Team's consideration.

"We do not have any record or evidence to suggest that there was a standard Welsh form in circulation.

"I mentioned in my previous correspondence that our guidelines do not advocate the translating or coining of names, therefore our recommendation to MCC was that the standard form of this place-name is Cross Ash only".

The addition of such unauthorised coined place-names to direction signs is the reason why they have to be so large, and in country areas, a blot on the landscape and costly to council taxpayers.

The display of 'Croes Onnen' on direction signs is particularly confusing to non-locals since it clashes with the Onen cross-roads which, since the 1800s, has been used as a compass-point for giving directions.

Originally, at the spot where there is still a private residence, a busy wagon and wheel-making business existed, with the red-hot iron rims being attached to new wheels before being plunged into water in the field.

Over the years, it has been used by undertakers, blacksmiths, bakers, carpenters and as a general store.

It was within easy distance of the local alehouse .

We want this location to remain as a compass point.

Roy Nicholas

(Proper officer of Llangattock-Vibon-Avel Community Council)