EARLIER PLANS TO SHUT CONVENIENCES NOW PUT ON HOLD

Public loos may be saved from closure but tax will have to rise

- By RICHARD EVANS Local Democracy Reporter [e-mail]

PLANS to shut public toilets in three communities have been put on hold in favour of plans to raise council tax to keep them open.

Denbighshire Council cabinet members voted at a meeting last month to close public conveniences at St Asaph, Rhuddlan and Dyserth in a cost-cutting exercise that will also see six other public toilets upgraded.

The planned closures sparked fury, and backbench councillors challenged the decision, asking for it to be consid ered again.

Now, cabinet members have agreed a council tax rise of 0.27% could be used to keep the toilets open.

As part of the local toilet strategy, Denbighshire Council was looking to intro duce cashless payment systems on upgraded toilets at Rhyl, Prestatyn, Denbigh, Ruthin, Llangollen and Corwen. After a failed grant bid to Welsh Govern ment, the council planned to apply for Lottery funds to pay for the upgrades.

Now, the three toilet closures have been halted after Cllr Andrea Tomlin, backed by five other councillors, called the decision in.

Following a debate by the partnership scrutiny committee and at cabinet, Denbighshire’s cabinet voted to look at scrapping the plans.