Flushed away? Toilet closure plans put on hold

Gwynedd council's cabinet has agreed to ask community and town councils to help fund public toilets in the county.

It follows proposals earlier this year to close two-thirds of all council-run toilet facilities to save £244,000.

The council leadership hopes it will mean they can halt plans to shut 50 out of its 73 toilets.

However, a report to the council warned that closures would still have to go ahead if agreements could not be reached on the new proposals.

The smaller councils across Gwynedd will now be asked if they are willing to pay towards the upkeep of the facilities - at a rate of £4,000 a year for those that are open all year long, and £2,000 for toilets that are only open during the tourist months.

Earlier this year the council agreed to the closure programme to help balance its budget, and save £244,000.

Cabinet member John Wynn Jones told Tuesday's meeting: "We are recommending an alternative scheme which involves going to the town and community councils and suggesting that if they do really appreciate these toilets that they contribute to keeping them open."

The cabinet said it was also open to any of the smaller councils taking over the ownership and operation of toilets in their communities in the longer term.