SIR,
I sympathise with the reader last week who was urging voters to use their 'no' vote in the upcoming referendum.
I support that view, but with some added reasons.
In Wales we are subject to at least four levels of governance – Local Authority, (Welsh Assembly Government), Westminster and Brussels.
By any measure, this is surely two too many.
How much is it costing us as individuals to support the salaries/ expenses of four elected individuals each, as well as all the permanent staff that goes with these bureaucratic organisations?
I dont know the answer, but its certainly coming out of our pockets.
This week we have read about the absurd nature of the Euro decisions that impact on us in respect of laws which are trying to govern the whole of Europe – I would rather we didn't have some fledgling judges in Europe deciding that an accused murderer is freed because his defence team were unable to cross examine his victim.
Nearer to home the WAG seem to have paid out a lot of money to encourage companies to move to Wales (great), but done nothing to ensure that they stay without any penalties (not so good).
Monmouthshire County Council is looking at building a new headquarters, while schools are tumbling down and we are receiving reduced services – our local roads are now full of pot holes and refuge services are reducing.
We must vote 'no' in March to ensure that the WAG dont have more money to waste.
If Wales wants a separate government then let it have a fully constitutionalised one with full powers as an alternative to Westminster.
And if it can't support that? Well the answer is there.
Under the current austerity budgets, organisations everywhere are cutting back on their spending.
We should now exercise our rights and vote against any further powers for the WAG to spend our money – in fact its a shame that there isn't an option to vote the WAG out altogether.
I don't want to see my earnings wasted on these needless bureaucratic organisations that appear to deliver little value for the general public.
So make sure you get out and vote, if you don't we will only have ourselves to blame.
Nigel Williams
(Trellech)