A GWYNEDD council chief faced a grilling from Fairbourne residents and business owners over the future of the village’s public toilets

Gwynedd Council, which is accused by one Fairbourne resident of “trying to close us for business”, is seeking partnership agreements with community and town councils to avoid the possibility of the closure of up to 22 public toilets as the council continues to look for cash savings.

Both of Fairbourne’s public toilets – at Station Road and Penrhyn Drive South – are under threat, but Arthog Community Council cannot afford the £6,000 required to keep both public toilets open.

Mike Scott, who is chair of the community council but was acting as a resident, chaired a meeting on Tuesday, 4 July, allowing residents to put questions to Gwyn Morris Jones, Gwynedd Council’s head of highways and municipal waste.

“This is another blight on Fairbourne and I am fighting back,” said Mr Scott. “Gwynedd Council is trying to close us for business. We just can’t have the toilets closed.

“We as a community need to raise £6,000. This will keep Station Road toilets open all the year round and Penrhyn Drive South toilets seasonally.

“This doesn’t sound very much, but it is a lot of money for a small community council.

“If we do not keep the toilets open, visitors will stop coming to this area and in particular Fairbourne. This will have an immediate effect on the local economy and we may see a reduction in the shops and amenities available to us.”

Mr Scott proposed a Fairbourne and Friog Community Convenience Fund which would be raised by asking the community council, residents and businesses to contribute, in addition to asking toilet users to make a small donation.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “Gwynedd Council has been contacting all town and community councils over recent months to discuss the possibility of forming local partnerships where they would contribute towards the cost of maintaining the facilities in their area.

“As a council, we are pleased that we find ourselves in a situation where at least 50 toilets which would otherwise have to close can stay open."

“As the report presented to the Cabinet last week noted, we will continue to hold discussions with local communities where there is no current local agreement to see if a suitable solution can be found."

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