Montgomeryshire MP Calls for Compromise Over Transfer of Responsibility for Llanfyllin Public Toilets.
Glyn Davies, Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire has met with Cllr Ann Williams, the Mayor of Llanfyllin, and Cllr Peter Lewis of Llanfyllin to discuss future management of the town’s public toilets.
Powys County Council is to close all public toilets across the county as part of its budget cuts. Llanfyllin Town Council has confirmed that it will take over the running of the town’s public toilets, but is having to do so before longstanding problems with the toilet’s drainage have been dealt with, posing a significant cost to the Town Council.
Glyn Davies met with Mayor Ann Williams and Cllr Peter Lewis last weekend to discuss the situation, and Glyn agreed to write to Powys Council seeking a fairer resolution to what has become a controversial local issue.
Commenting after his meeting with the Mayor and Cllr Lewis, Glyn Davies said,
“Llanfyllin is a significant town in Montgomeryshire, and an attractive location for visitors. We cannot have a situation where public toilets are not available in the town of Llanfyllin”.
“I understand that Powys Council are under financial pressure and have to take unpopular decisions about public services. I also understand why its felt that management of public toilets should be transferred to town and community councils, where costs will probably be much lower. But I do think that serious faults should be dealt with before transfer. There is a longstanding problem with drainage at the Llanfyllin public toilets, which I hope the County Council will consider fixing before handing responsibility over to the Town Council.
“Transferring a longstanding ongoing problem to a town council seems very unfair.”
Cllr Peter Lewis said:
“Toilets are a vital part of attracting tourists to our town. Llanfyllin Town Council at its last meeting made clear its commitment to keep the town’s toilets open. However, members were concerned that the state of the drains, which need regular unblocking at an unsustainable cost, may in the end prove to be an insurmountable obstacle.
“At last week’s County Council meeting, I asked Councillor Barry Thomas, the relevant portfolio holder for help but he reconfirmed that there will be no money from Powys to make the toilets fit for purpose.
“To prevent closure at the end of December Llanfyllin Town Council will now have to take responsibility for toilets, faulty drains and all.”
The Mayor of Llanfyllin Ann Williams commented:
“As the Mayor I feel Powys should bring the toilets up to standard and commit to fixing the drainage before we can take them over.”
