Petitions campaigning to ‘save Pembrokeshire’s public toilets’ - have been submitted to the County Council.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on April 24, is asked to approve the local toilet strategy for 2023. A report for members says the council is seeking to facilitate the provision of public toilets across the county on a cost-neutral basis.

It adds: “We will focus our investment on key priority areas to aid improvements and modernisations, with an understanding that the investment pot is limited.”

The report says options for future toilet provision include potential additional pay-to-use facilities, working with organisations, town and community councils and local communities to seek funding, encouraging community asset transfers of toilets, encouraging local organisations and businesses to open up their toilets for public use, and a potential future visitor levy to fund provision.

Back in February, the bleak position faced by public toilet provision in the county was highlighted in a report to Cabinet.

It said 30-plus toilets -many in seaside towns and villages – could be under threat of closure from November, unless community asset transfers to town and community councils are agreed, or funding streams are identified.

That report suggested a one-year sum of money – £360,000 – be made available from the affordable housing provision collected from the second homes tax premium, be used to keep toilets open while any negotiations take place.

Cabinet members, and later full council, agreed to this toilet lifeline.

Now two petitions have been set up calling for the County Council to rethink any closure plans.

One started by resident Carl Shutt states: “The closing of public toilets in Pembrokeshire will not only effect the 150,00 residents but will impact on the 7 million tourists who visit each year. It will be hugely detrimental to the economy.

“Children, people with disabilities, and the aged can't afford to spend the time, are unable and will be unwilling to find hospitality venues even if they are welcome.

“There are other services that could be cut. Pembrokeshire County Council have previously been proliferate with benefits paid to officers and other undemocratic spends.”

Mr Shutt has sent his petition (which has over 500 signatures so far) to PCC’s chief executive Will Bramble and leader David Simpson.

He stated in correspondence to the CEO: “You will be aware that the majority of residents if asked would be opposed to any closures of the existing public toilets.

“I have tried to raise a petition through the PCC portal. I have to report that the site is inaccessible. Therefore to ensure that public opinion is not suppressed that I have created a petition via Change dot org.

“I am sure that given the circumstances that PCC will accept the petition despite PCC's insistence that they will only accept petition through their website.”

Mr Shutt has also backed County Councillor Huw Murphy, who represents Newport and Dinas wards, who has been working behind the scenes to challenge the Cabinet's decision to close many of the public toilets in Pembrokeshire.

Cllr Murphy is going to put forward a motion to the full council on May 11, and will ask for a moratorium on the closure of any toilets until March 2025.

“This direct challenge to the Cabinet is commendable, and we should remember this when it comes to the ballot box,” remarked Mr Shutt.

“Too often, our elected representatives ignore electors' dissent on social media, never commenting or engaging.

“What we need to do now is to get behind Cllr Murphy and get as many signatures as possible. We have to aim for 1,000. We are just halfway. Please each of you get one other person to sign.”

The petition can be signed at the following link: https://chng.it/jB9qgDkh

Another petition calling for a comprehensive review of the toilet provision has been lodged with the council by John Hudson.

The petition states: ‘We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to openly and comprehensively review the legal, financial and all other relevant considerations/requirements of providing this discretionary service, with the aim providing a sustainable service for the county, however appropriately financed, fit to meet the essential health, welfare and social needs of all Pembrokeshire’s residents and tourists, and the wider public health/hygiene requirements of the county.

‘The current toilet strategy and charging regime appears to be framed against an overriding financial full cost recovery requirement, met by charges for use and contributions from other authorities.

‘The proposed closure of toilets to meet service financial targets is regarded as being detrimental to the wellbeing of its residents and generally unhelpful to the county’s important tourist industry.

‘The council has an approved income generation policy which requires consideration of legal requirements specific to services and allows some discretion for local circumstances and social consequences.

‘The Wales Audit report ‘At your discretion’ points to discretionary services to be regarded in terms of being essential to meet the needs of residents and not just assessed on strict financial full cost recovery terms. The report points to the potential adverse democratic consequence of loss of confidence, if it is perceived that council is not meeting the essential needs of its residents.’

The proposals by Pembrokeshire County Council to consider closing down public toilets by the seaside were labelled ‘ludicrous’ by local councillors in Tenby earlier this month, with the local authority accused of being in danger of contravening the wellbeing act, should they start to shut such facilities.

Tenby’s toilets alongside North Beach and in Upper Frog Street are included in a list of facilities due to close on November 5 this year, unless a future funding stream is identified, PCC revealed recently.

County councillor for Tenby’s North Ward, Cllr Williams told the Observer: “I find it amazing that we should even consider the withdrawal of such a basic service.

“We claim to be a civilised society, which is becoming more and more difficult to substantiate. The reduction of such a basic service would be in direct contravention of the Wellbeing act of 2015. Every year I travel to some of the most poverty-stricken Nations on Eastern Europe, not even these so-called poor states seek to reduce such basic services.

“We claim to be a civilised society, and to even consider the withdrawal of such services must seriously make us question such a claim.

“We spend huge sums of money each year attracting tourists, have we any right to do if we fail to offer basic civilised facilities? If we value these visitors, and I am afraid that we cant do without them, we must offer basic services,” he added.

Cllr Charles Dale told his colleagues at Tenby Town Council that the proposals were ‘quite frankly ludicrous’ when they discussed the proposals.

A full list of public toilets under review include facilities for the following areas across the county: Abercastle, Abereiddy, Amroth East, Angle, Bosherston, Burton, Broad Haven, Millmoor Way, Carew, Cresswell Quay, Cwm Yr Eglwys, Dale, Freshwater East, Kilgetty, Little Haven, Manorbier, Marloes, Moylegrove, Newgale South, Newport Beach, Newport Parrog, Neyland, Nolton, Penally, Poppit Sands, Porthgain, Pwllgwaelod, Saundersfoot, Solva, St Brides, St Davids Bryn Road, St Davids Oriel Y Parc, Tenby North Beach, Tenby Upper Frog Street, Wisemans Bridge.