SIR,

It is interesting to read of the councillor from Porthmadog refusing to attend the opening of a new £35million by-pass because the invitation, from Cardiff, wasn't in Welsh.

This is an example of the rational against the irrational.

Someone in Cardiff demonstrated good sense by not wasting money on unnecessary printing.

The councillor, while he could read the invitation perfectly well, chose to be offended because it wasn't in his preferred language.

If rational thinking had been used more over the past year, £10 million could have been saved by the Welsh Assembly on the printing of census forms and a further £4 million on court summons papers.

A freedom of information question revealed that less than 3 per cent of census 2011 forms were returned in Welsh and this was fewer than in 2001.

In these times of economic crisis it is reasonable to look to public service organisations to find savings.

The £14 million cited above is just a small example of saving potential which could save jobs of doctors, nurses, teachers or police officers.

Savings on printing alone could substantially improve spending on education and health.

Western Mail 15th August 2011 reports a newly appointed language policeman at £95K a year?

Is this really appropriate when child poverty in Wales is the highest in the UK?

Roy Garner

(Chepstow)