Council translation services must be stopped

I AM appalled at the revelation that Yorkshire councils are still wasting thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money on translation fees for those who cannot speak English (Yorkshire Post, April 13).

If one goes to other EU countries and cannot speak the language – especially France – it’s a case of tough luck, either learn or bring someone who can translate for you.

My wife and I did at one 
time consider relocating to France and therefore prepared ourselves by learning basic French so as to integrate – however it seems many immigrants don’t feel the need to learn English when they 
come here as they know that we are daft enough to provide an interpreter to order to make their lives easier.

This stupidity must stop as soon as possible, especially as funding for essentials is already tight – and frankly I don’t consider supplying interpreters for those too lazy to learn the language of the country they have decided to relocate to 
is a priority.

As a nation we really have been too soft on foreigners and immigrants who, far from trying to integrate, merely shrug their shoulders and plead ignorance, knowing full well that our 
barmy system will bend over backwards to accommodate them.

Well, Yorkshire can’t afford this benign approach and needs to take a more sensible approach by making the individual supply an interpreter at his or her own cost and not expect the likes of you and me to foot the bill.