A ‘call-in’ on Pembrokeshire County Council’s recently-approved toilet strategy is to be heard at a special meeting next week.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet approved the Local Toilet Strategy 2023 – required under the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 – at its meeting on Monday, April 24.

It is intended to help address the current challenges faced by local authorities in continuing to sustain provision during times of substantial financial pressures.

Concerns had previously been raised in a report prior to the February meeting of Cabinet, with 30-plus toilets at potential risk of closure if community asset transfers to town and community councils weren’t agreed, or funding streams not identified.

Following a February Cabinet decision, and later backing from full council, it was agreed money from the second homes element of council tax would provide a lifeline for these toilets, up until November, while negotiations with stakeholders including Pembrokeshire Coast National Park continue.

At the April meeting, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said: “I know in some quarters this strategy is being seen as a plan to close toilets – it really isn’t that.”

“This administration is doing everything in its power to keep as many of these much-needed public conveniences as possible open across the county and indeed invest in them.”

Members heard additional funding from car parking revenue had raised some £208,000 for ’23-’24, which had protected some 20 public conveniences, and the ‘second homes’ council tax contribution had also secured £300,000.

Included in the strategy is the ability for the council to close some toilet facilities where alternative funding, including other public bodies, cannot be found but it is stressed this would be a last resort.

Just days later, on April 27, Councillor Huw Murphy, with the support of his 16 fellow Independent Group councillors gave notice of the call-in request.

Cllr Murphy gave his reasons for making the ‘call-in,’ in a report which will be heard at the council’s May 9 Extraordinary Policy and Pre-decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

He asked for a “full re-examination of the cost of retaining these public toilets” be undertaken before a final decision is taken on any closures.

He said: “Considerable public concern has been raised with regards to the proposed public toilet closures and this call-in is a reflection of this public concern and the need for an open and transparent debate where the public can be provided with clear and concise information to explain the rationale behind the closure decision.”

He added: “The policy is perfectly clear, closure will occur for the toilets listed on November 5, unless other organisations accept responsibility or give an indication to take on any toilets. It’s therefore necessary to request a call-in for Cabinet to clarify what their actual intentions are.”

He says the toilet strategy is flawed; the short timescales allowing insufficient time for the national park, community and town councils and other interested parties to take over responsibility for the toilets listed for potential closure, suggesting an extension of the period of grace to March 31, 2025.

The call-in also cites a 2,000-strong petition made by a Pembroke resident calling for a formal review of Pembrokeshire’s public toilet strategy.

The committee can either uphold the decision of Cabinet, or, if having considered the decision, the committee is still concerned about it, then it may refer it back to Cabinet for reconsideration, setting out in writing the nature of its concerns.

Members supporting Cllr Murphy on the ‘call-in’ are: Jamie Adams, John Davies, Elwyn Morse, Anji Tinley, Mel Phillips, Vanessa Thomas, Iwan Ward, Delme Harries, Shon Rees, Mike James, Simon Wright, Michael John, Alan Dennison, Peter Morgan, Reg Owens and Brian Hall.