Controversial public toilet plans to go out to public consultation

Richard Evans, local democracy reporter

A council’s plan to pay businesses £500 a year to make toilets available for the public will go out to consultation, following a cabinet vote today (Tuesday).

The plans, which were slammed by a county councillor last week as “ludicrous”, are part of Denbighshire’s ‘Draft Local Toilets Strategy’ and were described by a senior officer at the meeting as a “difficult sell”.

Speaking at the meeting, both cabinet members and officers emphasised that no plans had been agreed on toilet closures.

Paper

The cabinet member with the portfolio for toilets, Cllr Barry Mellor, said: “I must stress here this paper is not about closing toilets as we’ve heard in the press in different areas.”

Cllr Mellor then said it was a “statutory duty” to publish a public convenience strategy and review the council’s overall position on the non-statutory service.

But whilst any toilet closures are yet to be agreed, the statement contained within the strategy says that Denbighshire is “facing a period of significant and continued budget pressures and it is more important than ever to ensure we are making the best use of local resources”.

‘Creative’

The report adds: “We therefore must change the way we provide certain services as we seek to utilise more creative ways of providing some services such as public conveniences.”

On the proposed community toilet scheme (CTS), which would see local businesses such as shops and cafes make toilets publicly available, the report states: “Participating establishments will be required to keep their toilets safe, clean, accessible, and well stocked.

“The maximum grant payment in Denbighshire County Council’s CTS is currently £500 per annum.”

Head of highways and environmental services Paul Jackson said: “Again it is key to stress that no decision about the public conveniences and the operation of those is expected until later into 2025, and this piece of work is a prelude to that and the recommendations that might come out of it.

“It is somewhat of a contentious issue, the idea of potentially changing our operating model in that regard.”

Difficult sell

He added: “Admittedly it will be a difficult sell to some of the businesses, and we get that; however, it is an opportunity, and we will look to maximise it in every single way we possibly can, whether that will be online, direct letter drops, something like that.

“We’ll do what we can in terms of getting that engagement with the business community.”

Mr Jackson said the public consultation would start at the end of the week and was expected to last roughly two months.

But Cllr Emrys Wynne questioned the £500 fee the council was proposing to pay businesses offering their toilets for public use.

“There was a (business providing a) toilet on the outskirts of Llangollen that was receiving £250 payment about 20 years ago for doing this type of scheme,” he said.

“And I remember a conversation with the owner of the property, and he said he didn’t want to continue because it didn’t pay enough because he had to do the cleaning and provide the facilities.

“So I think we do need to have the conversation about the amount of fee we are willing to pay.

“£250 was a great deal of money 20 years ago. It is worth much less now, of course.”

Officers maintained that the public consultation was first needed to assess the proposals, and the cabinet vote was unanimous.

Speaking last week, Tremeirchion councillor Chris Evans slammed the plans.

He said: “We are welcoming everybody in for tourism to places like Llangollen. Come use the canals and walk the paths and parks, but there’ll be no toilets to use. It is ludicrous.”

He added: “They (the council) are totally deluded of what a business owner has to do.

“For that £10 a week, the business owner will have to clean the toilet, stock toilet paper.

“Small businesses are under the cosh and are not getting any help. It is not right.”