Solution may have been found to keeping open town's public toilets

* A solution may have been found to keeping the Market Street toilets.

The town and county councils could work together to save Llangollen’s threatened public toilets.

Suggestions that the Market Street conveniences could close along with all the others across the county in a bid to dig Denbighshire out of a massive financial black hole have caused deep concern in the town since they were revealed by llanblogger a few months ago.

A public meeting was called to hammer out the issue back in the summer with many people voicing their fears about the damage any loss of the toilets would mean to Llangollen businesses relying heavily on the tourism trade and also to residents themselves.

Although the meeting was inconclusive local MP Becky Gittins and Senedd Member Ken Skates have revealed they have been working behind the scenes to secure an amicable solution to the problem.

It is known that the Town Council has also been looking closely at the financial situation to see if anything can be done.

Now a possible answer has come forward in the agenda for the town council meeting next Tuesday, November 19.

A budgetary report from town clerk Gareth Thomas, which will be considered by councillors, says: “In addition to the Town Council’s reserve requirements through continued working with the County Council to fulfil the Town Council and residents’ desires that the County Council continue to provide toilet facilities in Llangollen a solution has been proposed.”

Spelling it out, the report adds: “The county council have indicated that if they can convert the existing toilets on Market Street to cashless operation and variable summer and winter opening times then this will reduce cost which will allow for the continued provision of the service.

“However, to facilitate this capital works are required to the building and the county council is applying to the Brilliant Basics Fund which assists in the provision of small-scale tourism infrastructure improvements across Wales and is open to local authorities and national park authorities.

“Total grant available is £300,000 with a maximum intervention rate of 80%. There is no minimum grant amount.

“The estimated cost of the works to upgrade the toilet facilities to allow for cashless payment is in the region of £40,000.

“During discussions with the county council, it was clear that a joint application would be looked upon more favourably and therefore it is proposed that the town council would contribute to the match funding requirement to a maximum of 10% and provision has made in the asset specific reserve to facilitate such a contribution in 2025-26.”