Town council approves possible solution to save toilets

* Market Street toilets: a possible solution was approved by the Town Council last night.

Town councillors have approved a plan to work together with the county council in a bid to save Llangollen's under-threat 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.

The Town Council has also been looking closely at the financial situation to see if anything can be done.

A possible answer was put forward in the agenda for the town council meeting last night (Tuesday), as llanblogger revealed recently.

A budgetary report from town clerk Gareth Thomas, which was 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.”

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.”

Town councillors agreed unanimously last night to take £4,000 from their reserves to make the 10% contribution towards the £40,000. 

The Town Clerk said he confident there was sufficient money in the reserves to cover the amount.

Cllr Jon Haddy said a move to a more efficient system could have been made by the county council in the past.

He added that while not many Llangollen people actually used the toilets and that they were used mainly as a support for local tourism, he had no problem with the suggested solution.

Cllr Scott Felton made the point that lots of the visitors who used the toilets were elderly and therefore didn't have the credit or debit cards to use in a cashless system.

He also asked what would happen to the three members of staff who currently work at the toilets.

The Town Clerk said: "We can't answer that and if we don't go down this route there will be no staff.

"Our contribution would be just an investment in the building."

The Mayor, Cllr Aled Morris, stressed: "The toilets would be still owned and run by the county council."