I don't usually comment on some of the crasser side of the Fans of the Old Ruthin Blog Facebook site but this one-question survey fits into the "daft" category. It's from Kelly Benton and it asks whether Denbighshire council should distribute information (about its cuts agenda) in English, in Welsh or, erm, in Bilingual (if you read her question literally).
We're in Wales. Almost half of us in Rhuthun/Ruthin speak some form of Welsh and most who do prefer to communicate in their native tongue.
It also means that over half of us do not speak Welsh and they presumably prefer English. The case for bilingual communications should never need to be made. That fight's won. Go back 25 years, before Denbighshire, and most from Glyndŵr and certainly Clwyd was in English only.
I'm not entirely sure what Ms Benton is trying to say. Is it that because everyone can speak English then council communications should be monolingual? If so, that could be construed as insensitive, even offensive. If Welsh only, then over half of Rhuthun is immediately disenfranchised.
And then there's the little matter of the Welsh Language Act 1993 with which all public bodies must comply. The Act requires them not to discriminate and to use both languages identically. In 1995, Denbighshire Shadow Authority adopted a policy of Welsh first (like Conwy but unlike Flintshire & Wrecsam), something that's extant today. No problem in distributing information in one language if a resident has stated a preference, although administration costs in sorting everything out would probably be more than printing bilingually. Print’s cheap, after all (something Ms Benton doesn't appreciate).
And, earlier, we see a post from the same Fans contributor (and I make *some* modifications for good grammar):
"I have asked loads and loads of folk what would you ask D.C.C. to not do (sic). Here are the top 5. D.C.C. please:
"1) do not cut funding to disability services; 2) do not cut funding for care homes; 3) do not cut funding for education; 4) do not cut bus passes; and 5) do not cut funding for refuse collection."
Well, I doubt any councillor would vote for any of the above if they had a choice. The issue with this is: what real or serious alternatives are there? Ms Benton continues:
"I also asked what you would like D.C.C. to look into. Again, the top 5. D.C.C. please look into:
"1) All workers in Denbighshire to pay £1 daily to park or none of the workers in Denbighshire to pay"
At first flush, this seems compelling but what might this punitive charge actually achieve?
Let's say there are 200 car parking spaces at County Hall. £1 per day over an assumed 233 working days would raise about £46,000 less administration costs. But the council needs to save £17m.
Were I to work in County Hall, if faced with £1 per day, I'd walk (actually I'd walk anyway as I live near enough to it). There would also be council employees trying to park just about anywhere they could where it's free, causing considerable problems on residential roads close to the town centre. Those who would pay will have £233 less to spend with local businesses—you can only spend it once.
The result would be income far below expectations. And what about teachers at Ysgol Brynhyfryd, doctors at Plas Meddyg, dentists at Mount Street and all those fortunate enough to get free parking with their jobs, ranging from Trefor Jones in town to every business on Lôn Parcwr. County Hall is a net benefit to the town and we will miss it when it goes (come the merger with Conwy).
"2) Assess how valuable the educational psychology service is"
No expert here but surely if Ms Benton's vox pop says "No" to cuts in funding to disability services then that should be that, including educational psychologists.
"3) Bring back recycling centres to the council and sell unwanted items"
Bring them back? We've only just seen these eyesores off, thanks to an efficient kerbside collection. Glyndŵr council was quite slow in introducing local recycling centres. The first, for cans, bottles and paper, arrived in Dinbych/Denbigh in 1992. They were only gradually extended elsewhere. But the sites were often untidy. Witness Park Road car park's collection point. Better to maintain the so-called civic amenity cites where staff are employed to sort and keep the place tidy. Best of all to collect at the kerb.
"4) Turn off non-essential street lighting"
I don't disagree with this per se but who judges whether a residential light is essential or not? Some might prefer darkness while others might feel vulnerable. Perhaps they could all be turned off after 11 p.m. though those councils who've tried this have come up against the expected reaction.
"5) Cut non-essential road maintenance and gritting"
Really? People might argue that road maintenance should be top of the list (actually, if you consider the council’s priorities, it is). Gritting has never personally let me down but it does stick to main roads, leaving residential roads and car parks already in Ms Benton's "non-essential" category.
My advice to Ms Benton: get elected to the council if you wish to effect change.
We're in Wales. Almost half of us in Rhuthun/Ruthin speak some form of Welsh and most who do prefer to communicate in their native tongue.
It also means that over half of us do not speak Welsh and they presumably prefer English. The case for bilingual communications should never need to be made. That fight's won. Go back 25 years, before Denbighshire, and most from Glyndŵr and certainly Clwyd was in English only.
I'm not entirely sure what Ms Benton is trying to say. Is it that because everyone can speak English then council communications should be monolingual? If so, that could be construed as insensitive, even offensive. If Welsh only, then over half of Rhuthun is immediately disenfranchised.
And then there's the little matter of the Welsh Language Act 1993 with which all public bodies must comply. The Act requires them not to discriminate and to use both languages identically. In 1995, Denbighshire Shadow Authority adopted a policy of Welsh first (like Conwy but unlike Flintshire & Wrecsam), something that's extant today. No problem in distributing information in one language if a resident has stated a preference, although administration costs in sorting everything out would probably be more than printing bilingually. Print’s cheap, after all (something Ms Benton doesn't appreciate).
And, earlier, we see a post from the same Fans contributor (and I make *some* modifications for good grammar):
"I have asked loads and loads of folk what would you ask D.C.C. to not do (sic). Here are the top 5. D.C.C. please:
"1) do not cut funding to disability services; 2) do not cut funding for care homes; 3) do not cut funding for education; 4) do not cut bus passes; and 5) do not cut funding for refuse collection."
Well, I doubt any councillor would vote for any of the above if they had a choice. The issue with this is: what real or serious alternatives are there? Ms Benton continues:
"I also asked what you would like D.C.C. to look into. Again, the top 5. D.C.C. please look into:
"1) All workers in Denbighshire to pay £1 daily to park or none of the workers in Denbighshire to pay"
At first flush, this seems compelling but what might this punitive charge actually achieve?
Let's say there are 200 car parking spaces at County Hall. £1 per day over an assumed 233 working days would raise about £46,000 less administration costs. But the council needs to save £17m.
Were I to work in County Hall, if faced with £1 per day, I'd walk (actually I'd walk anyway as I live near enough to it). There would also be council employees trying to park just about anywhere they could where it's free, causing considerable problems on residential roads close to the town centre. Those who would pay will have £233 less to spend with local businesses—you can only spend it once.
The result would be income far below expectations. And what about teachers at Ysgol Brynhyfryd, doctors at Plas Meddyg, dentists at Mount Street and all those fortunate enough to get free parking with their jobs, ranging from Trefor Jones in town to every business on Lôn Parcwr. County Hall is a net benefit to the town and we will miss it when it goes (come the merger with Conwy).
"2) Assess how valuable the educational psychology service is"
No expert here but surely if Ms Benton's vox pop says "No" to cuts in funding to disability services then that should be that, including educational psychologists.
"3) Bring back recycling centres to the council and sell unwanted items"
Bring them back? We've only just seen these eyesores off, thanks to an efficient kerbside collection. Glyndŵr council was quite slow in introducing local recycling centres. The first, for cans, bottles and paper, arrived in Dinbych/Denbigh in 1992. They were only gradually extended elsewhere. But the sites were often untidy. Witness Park Road car park's collection point. Better to maintain the so-called civic amenity cites where staff are employed to sort and keep the place tidy. Best of all to collect at the kerb.
"4) Turn off non-essential street lighting"
I don't disagree with this per se but who judges whether a residential light is essential or not? Some might prefer darkness while others might feel vulnerable. Perhaps they could all be turned off after 11 p.m. though those councils who've tried this have come up against the expected reaction.
"5) Cut non-essential road maintenance and gritting"
Really? People might argue that road maintenance should be top of the list (actually, if you consider the council’s priorities, it is). Gritting has never personally let me down but it does stick to main roads, leaving residential roads and car parks already in Ms Benton's "non-essential" category.
My advice to Ms Benton: get elected to the council if you wish to effect change.