Question from Councillor A Hussain to the Cabinet Member for Communities

“In the BCBC Public Toilet Review Consultation report dated March 2015, its conclusion states that ”Aberkenfig, Pricetown and Blackmill all received lower level of support however, further research into the closest public facilities in these areas would be desirable” It is now 2 years since this review, could the Cabinet Member for Communities advise what action he has taken to-date and if nothing has been done so far, can he tell us what he is going to do?”

Question from Councillor A Hussain to the Cabinet Member Communities

“In the BCBC Public Toilet Review Consultation report dated March 2015, its conclusion states that “Aberkenfig, Pricetown and Blackmill all received lower level of support, however, further research into the closest public facilities in these areas would be desirable”.  It is now 2 years since this review, could the Cabinet Member for Communities advise what action he has taken to-date and if nothing has been done so far, can he tell us what he is going to do?”

Response from the Cabinet Member Communities

The public toilets in Aberkenfig, Pricetown and Blackmill were permanently closed as part of proposals included in the Medium Term Financial Strategy agreed by Council.  The relevant Town and Community Councils were written to at that time asking if they were interested in taking over the responsibility for operating, cleaning and maintaining the toilets.  None at that time felt that they were in a position to do so.

There are currently no plans in place to re-open these facilities.  However, the Council is still open to entering into discussions with Town and Community Councils on the possibility of transferring the facilities as part of the Council’s Community Asset Transfer Programme [CAT].  The Council also runs an approved ‘Comfort Scheme’ that allows local businesses to make their toilets available to the public and in return they receive an annual payment from the Council.  At this time no appropriate local businesses in the locations referred to in the question have applied to be part of the Comfort Scheme.

Councillor Hussain asked a supplementary question as to whether there had been savings derived following the closure of toilets and would there be facilities available in the Pricetown area temporarily during the Victoria Cross commemoration this weekend. 

The Cabinet Member Communities stated that it had been necessary to close the facilities due to budgetary pressures at the time, which had now worsened.  He stated that the running of public toilets could be considered as part of a Community Asset Transfer, although there had been no such approaches received from Town and Community Councils as yet. The Cabinet Member Communities stated there would be no facilities available in the Pricetown area temporarily during the Victoria Cross commemoration this weekend.  The Cabinet Member Education and Regeneration informed Council that Cornelly Community Council had kept public toilets open at the Kenfig Nature Reserve and that discussions were taking place with the indoor market partner for a solution at the Rhiw.

The Corporate Director Communities informed Council that the strategy for public toilets was reliant on Town and Community Councils being able to take over the running of the facilities and he them and businesses to do so.

A Member of Council expressed concern that some public toilets had been demolished without giving Town and Community Councils the option of a Community Asset Transfer.  The Corporate Director Communities informed Council that there were certain circumstances due to the condition of the building that the Council was left with no alternative but to demolish the facility.