Category Archives: Public Conveniences

Save Our Public Toilets Campaign

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Dear Elector,

Your active support is needed now! Please use these statements to lobby your County Councillor this weekend. His/her support is urgently needed in the County Council Revenue Budget 2013/14 meeting on Tuesday 26 February.

1. Partnership working & accountability: We want to work in partnership with the County Council to rationalise public convenience responsibilities in a way that is politically and financially feasible – in line with the spirit embodied within the ‘Carmarthenshire Community Strategy: Thinking Together, Planning Together and Doing Together 2004-2020.’
2. Strategic examination: We want a firm commitment that the County Council will undertake a strategic examination of the public convenience stock over the coming months, in place of the current blanket quick-fix approach aimed solely at budget-cutting. This strategic examination must be based on in-depth research, financial feasibility studies, SWOT analyses and meaningful consultations with communities, tourist organisations and small businesses.
3. In consequence the public conveniences expenditure allocation in the County Council Revenue Budget 2013-2014 must remain the same as that allocated in 2012-2013.
Contact your county councillor before Feb 26th
 

Last minute plea to save Ferryside Toilets:

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Email: LMStephens@carmarthenshire.gov.uk Telephone: 01267 267428.  Mair is a member of the influential executive board which meets on Feb 26th.

Cross party support for the continued provision of public toilets in small tourist villages in Carmarthenshire

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A meeting took place today in the CAVS building in Carmarthen to build support for the continued provision of public toilets. Present were Simon Hart MP and Angela Burns AM (Conservative ), Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM and Jonathan Edwards MP (Plaid Cymru) and Nia Griffiths MP (Labour) along with representatives from a number of affected Community Councils.

Cross Party Support

MPs, AMs and Local Councils working together

Mike Evans and Les Jones from St Ishmael Community Council were there along with Delme Bowen Ferryside resident, Ferryside Village Forum member and organiser of the public petition opposing the closure of the toilets. The community council has recently rejected the latest offer from the County Council to take over the running of the toilets as it would impose a disproportionate financial burden on local people. Delme Bowen presented a 300+ name petition to Jonathan Edwards (MP) and Rhodri Glyn Thomas    (AM )on behalf of the residents of Ferryside.

Their was unanimous agreement from the MPs, AMs, local councillors and residents to oppose the proposed action of Carmarthenshire County Council to close toilets unless they are taken over by community councils. A meeting with members of the executive board is sought as a matter of urgency to encourage them to withdraw the proposal from a forthcoming budget package. MPs and AMs all promised their full support.

Everyone present was urged to petition their County Councillors to oppose closure and to encourage them to vote against the proposal at executive board and in full council.

Our local County Councillor is Councillor Mair Stephens (Independent)                         Email: LMStephens@carmarth enshire.gov.uk Telephone; 01267 267428.  Mair is a member of the influential executive board.

[Thanks to Liz Dutch, Clerk to Llansteffan and Llanybri Community Council  for organising this meeting]

CAVS Meeting re: Public Toilets in Carmarthenshire

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There will be a joint meeting with community council representatives to discuss the future of public toilets in Carmarthenshire on Friday Feb 15th at 12:30 in Carmarthen.

AMs, MP,s and local councillors and representatives will attend:

Some key issues to be addressed:-

  • Whilst CCC has made a slightly improved transfer offer, this overlooks the grave reality that local councils with very low precepts (some as low as £8.5k for 2013/14) have no chance of generating the annual capital and revenue income required of approx £8k pa to keep the public facility open. To illustrate charging machines in Llansteffan would raise less than £1.5k pa. If CCC cannot afford to keep them open, however can local councils!
  • The user and promoter should pay, principally day visitors and day walkers to the coast and tourist hotspots like Cenarth. Of note Wales Coast Path is a Welsh Gov initiative and public conveniences represent an essential facility that should receive on-going central funding to avoid closure. Small tourist villages have in reality very few businesses that will benefit from day walkers, unlike towns like Tenby in Pembs.
  • CCC has imposed an impossible deadline on local councils of closure by 31 March. Letters informing councils of this political decision were only received in Nov 2012 and it has not been feasible to undertake the necessary research, negotiations and consultations in time to influence the precept decisions taken at the January local council meetings.

Ferryside Toilet Closure Alert

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The ITV programme “Sharp End” will be covering the issue of possible closure of public toilets by County authorities. I have given them an interview in respect of  the Ferryside toilet. It will be broadcast Thursday night 10:30pm on ITV. Meanwhile copies of the public petitions will be presented to Jonathan Edwards MP, Rhodri Thomas AM, Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths and the local County councillor.