Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy is saddened to learn that Conwy County Borough Council has announced changes to public toilet services, with nearly half of them closing across Conwy.
The Council plans to close 20 out of the 41 toilets across Aberconwy, including some which have been defaced because of repeated vandalism, such as Maelgwyn Road in Llandudno Junction and Ivy Street in Colwyn Bay.
This was following the Budget Reduction Proposal Details 2024/25 where it stipulated that the Council would ‘close unsustainable public conveniences’, outlining a saving of £459k.
However, sources from the Council have indicated that some councillors were not explicitly informed about the closure proposals, with no formal consultation being conducted.
Commenting on the news Janet said:
“This is an absolute scandal and a shambles. It appears that on the 28th of November during a Cabinet meeting there was a broad discussion about the Local Toilet Strategy and to assess the local need for public toilets.
“It is my understanding that no specific toilets had been chosen for closure, and that there would need to be further discussion about any reductions.
“Now we see that in this year’s Council budget included significant cuts that will result in the closure of 20 public loos.
“I am deeply concerned by this clandestine approach to these important facilities. Local governance must be built on trust and transparency, and clearly, the public and indeed other Councillors have not been rightly consulted which will only contribute to the distrust of our elected officials.
“Ironically, it was even earmarked on Labour’s local election pledges in 2022 that they would protect and re-open public toilets.
“However, we are now slowly watching the decline of our public loos. At a time when tourism is on the rise, many people are crying out saying how crucial these facilities are.
“Soon, this Labour, Plaid and Independent Council will leave a litter of derelict public buildings and local government outposts.
“I am deeply alarmed by this, and evidently there is more to this than meets the eye."
ENDS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy, yn siomedig o glywed bod Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy wedi cyhoeddi newidiadau i wasanaethau toiledau cyhoeddus, gyda bron i hanner ohonyn nhw’n cau ar draws Conwy.
Mae'r Cyngor yn bwriadu cau 20 o'r 41 o doiledau ar draws Aberconwy, gan gynnwys rhai sy’n cael eu malu’n gyson yn sgil fandaliaeth, megis y toieledau ar Ffordd Maelgwyn yng Nghyffordd Llandudno a Stryd Ivy ym Mae Colwyn.
Mae hyn yn dilyn manylion Cynnig Gostwng y Gyllideb 2024/25 a nododd y byddai'r Cyngor yn 'cau cyfleusterau cyhoeddus anghynaliadwy', gan amlinellu arbediad o £459,000.
Fodd bynnag, mae ffynonellau o'r Cyngor wedi nodi na chafodd rhai cynghorwyr eu hysbysu'n benodol am y cynigion i gau, ac ni chynhaliwyd ymgynghoriad ffurfiol.
Wrth sôn am y newyddion dywedodd Janet:
"Mae hyn yn sgandal a llanast llwyr. Ar 28 Tachwedd yn ystod cyfarfod y Cabinet, ymddengys i drafodaeth eang gael ei chynnal am y Strategaeth Toiledau Lleol ac am asesu'r angen lleol am doiledau cyhoeddus.
"Fy nealltwriaeth i yw nad oedd toiledau penodol wedi’u dewis i'w cau, ac y byddai angen trafodaeth bellach am unrhyw ostyngiadau.
"Nawr rydyn ni’n gweld bod cyllideb y Cyngor eleni yn cynnwys toriadau sylweddol a fydd yn arwain at gau 20 o doiledau cyhoeddus.
"Rwy'n poeni'n fawr am y dull dirgel hwn o ymdrin â’r cyfleusterau pwysig hyn. Rhaid i lywodraethu lleol fod yn seiliedig ar ymddiriedaeth a thryloywder, ac yn amlwg, ni ymgynghorwyd â'r cyhoedd na Chynghorwyr eraill a bydd hyn ond yn cyfrannu at ddiffyg ymddiriedaeth yn ein swyddogion etholedig.
"Yn eironig, clustnodwyd y byddai toiledau cyhoeddus yn cael eu hamddiffyn a’u hailagor hyd yn oed yn addewidion etholiad lleol Llafur yn 2022
"Fodd bynnag, rydyn ni bellach yn gweld dirywiad araf ein toiledau cyhoeddus. Gyda thwristiaeth ar gynnydd, mae llawer o bobl yn dweud pa mor hanfodol yw'r cyfleusterau hyn.
"Cyn bo hir, bydd y Cyngor Llafur, Plaid ac Annibynnol hwn yn gadael llanast o adeiladau cyhoeddus a llywodraeth leol segur.
"Mae hyn yn codi braw mawr arna i, ac mae'n amlwg bod mwy i hyn na’r hyn sy’n cael ei ddweud wrthym ni."
DIWEDD
