The Leader of Reform UK in Conwy County Borough Council, Cllr Louise Emery, has praised the delivery of the Local Authority’s highly controversial toilet strategy which has resulted in 6 public toilet closures, and public campaigns, community groups, and town and community councils having little option but to step in to save even more facilities from being shut down.
Public toilets in Llangernyw, Llansannan, Penmachno, Dolwyddelan, Pentrefoelas, Llannefydd and Llanfairfechan are now managed by local community groups or Town and Community Councils, and toilets in many other communities are having to be funded by Town and Community Councils where Plaid Cymru/Labour/independent Conwy County Borough Council has slashed funding.
And in some communities, public toilets have been, in accordance with the strategy praised by Reform UK, “declared vacant and surplus to requirement in order to reduce the maintenance and utility costs”.
Now Conwy County Borough Council is trying to transfer responsibility for 9 more public toilets, under the risk of potential future closure.
Commenting during the discussion of the report by the Head of Environment, Roads and Facilities, Conwy County Borough Council, to the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 August 2025 about the delivery of the Local Toilet Strategy, Cllr Louise Emery, Leader of Reform UK in Conwy Council, heaped praise on the Council’s manager who implemented the controversial strategy, saying:
“I’ve got to mention Gary Williams because he was fantastic. I really worked hard with him to get this through for Llandudno. He’s the Facilities Manager, now retired.”
Commenting on Reform UK’s praise for the toilet strategy, Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS stated:
“At a time when Conwy County Borough Council is increasing council tax by an eye watering 9% residents rightly expect services to be maintained not cut.
“Public toilets are essential to our communities and public health. Whilst Reform UK have chosen to praise the Local Authority’s strategy that caused closures and mass uncertainty over the future of these important assets, like many residents, I consider the situation an absolute disgrace.
“In fact, so poorly managed was the toilet strategy praised by Reform UK’s local leader that even the Chief Executive of Conwy County Borough Council, Rhun ap Gareth, acknowledged in the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting last year that the lack of time given for members to consider the toilet strategy was a problem, and promised that lessons would be learnt.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
Notes:
Reform UK’s position is captured here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Wo2-LPT4RKA?si=aFeDzdW4IFWde_fz&t=5834. Cllr Louise Emery stated on 20 August 2025:
- “I’ve got to mention Gary Williams because he was fantastic. I really worked hard with him to get this through for Llandudno. He’s the Facilities Manager, now retired.”
On the initial implementation of the Local Toilet Strategy the Chief Executive of Conwy County Borough Council acknowledged that it hadn’t been delivered properly last year: https://www.youtube.com/live/ArdaXv2Fv4E?si=tkEVwofGF_B42MFC&t=2132. He said:
- “I’d like to address correctly one of the main concerns raised which appears to be the period between informing councillors and releasing the information wider. I take responsibility for this as Chief Executive and I acknowledge that if we had our time again that we would most certainly have given local members more time to consider. We will learn from that, I promise you.”
Mae Arweinydd Reform UK yng Nghyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, y Cynghorydd Louise Emery, wedi canmol strategaeth cau toiledau hynod ddadleuol yr Awdurdod Lleol sydd wedi arwain at gau 6 toiled cyhoeddus, a bellach nid oes gan ymgyrchoedd cyhoeddus, grwpiau cymunedol, a chynghorau tref a chymuned fawr ddim dewis ond camu i’r adwy i arbed hyd yn oed mwy o gyfleusterau o’r fath rhag cael eu cau.
Mae toiledau cyhoeddus yn Llangernyw, Llansannan, Penmachno, Dolwyddelan, Pentrefoelas, Llannefydd a Llanfairfechan bellach yn cael eu rheoli gan grwpiau cymunedol lleol neu Gynghorau Tref a Chymuned, ac mae'n rhaid i doiledau mewn llawer o gymunedau eraill gael eu hariannu gan Gynghorau Tref a Chymuned lle mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy wedi torri’r cyllid.
Ac mewn rhai cymunedau, mae toiledau cyhoeddus wedi cael eu datgan “yn wag neu’n ddiangen er mwyn lleihau'r costau cynnal a chadw a chyfleustodau", gyda’r polisi wedi’i ganmol gan Reform UK.
Bellach mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy yn ceisio trosglwyddo cyfrifoldeb am 9 toiled cyhoeddus arall sydd mewn perygl o gau yn y dyfodol.
Yn ystod trafodaeth ar yr adroddiad gan Bennaeth yr Amgylchedd, Ffyrdd a Chyfleusterau, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, i Bwyllgor Trosolwg a Chraffu ar yr Economi a Lleoedd ar 20 Awst 2025 ynghylch gweithredu’r Strategaeth Toiledau Lleol, fe wnaeth y Cynghorydd Louise Emery, Arweinydd Reform UK yng Nghyngor Conwy, ganmol rheolwr y Cyngor a gyflwynodd y strategaeth ddadleuol, gan ddweud:
"Mae'n rhaid i mi sôn am Gary Williams oherwydd roedd yn wych. Fe wnes i weithio'n galed gydag ef i gael hyn drwodd i Landudno. Ef oedd y Rheolwr Cyfleusterau, ond mae bellach wedi ymddeol."
Gan gyfeirio at ganmoliaeth Reform UK o’r strategaeth doiledau, dywedodd Janet Finch-Saunders AS:
"Ar adeg pan mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy yn cynyddu'r dreth gyngor o 9%, sy’n ganran aruthrol, mae trigolion yn ddigon teg yn disgwyl i wasanaethau gael eu cynnal nid eu torri.
"Mae toiledau cyhoeddus yn hanfodol i'n cymunedau ac i iechyd y cyhoedd. Er bod Reform UK wedi dewis canmol strategaeth yr Awdurdod Lleol a arweiniodd at gau drysau’r cyfleusterau hyn ac ansicrwydd ynghylch dyfodol yr asedau pwysig hyn, fel llawer o drigolion, rydw i’r farn ei bod hi’n sefyllfa gywilyddus.
"Mewn gwirionedd, roedd y strategaeth doiledau a ganmolwyd gan arweinydd lleol Reform UK mor wael fel bod hyd yn oed Prif Weithredwr Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, Rhun ap Gareth, yn cydnabod yng nghyfarfod y Pwyllgor Trosolwg a Chraffu ar Gyllid ac Adnoddau'r llynedd fod y diffyg amser a roddwyd i aelodau ystyried y strategaeth doiledau yn broblem, a rhoddodd addewid y byddai gwersi yn cael eu dysgu."
DIWEDD
Llun: Janet Finch-Saunders AS
Nodiadau:
Mae safbwynt Reform UK yn cael ei egluro yma: https://www.youtube.com/live/Wo2-LPT4RKA?si=aFeDzdW4IFWde_fz&t=5834. Dywedodd y Cynghorydd Louise Emery ar 20 Awst 2025:
- "Mae'n rhaid i mi sôn am Gary Williams oherwydd roedd yn wych. Fe wnes i weithio'n galed gydag ef i gael hyn drwodd i Landudno. Ef oedd y Rheolwr Cyfleusterau, ond mae bellach wedi ymddeol."
Ar y cychwyn, wrth weithredu'r Strategaeth Toiledau Lleol, roedd Prif Weithredwr Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy yn cydnabod nad oedd wedi'i weithredu’n iawn y llynedd: https://www.youtube.com/live/ArdaXv2Fv4E?si=tkEVwofGF_B42MFC&t=2132. Dywedodd:
- "Hoffwn fynd i'r afael ag un o'r prif bryderon a godwyd yn ddigon cywir, sef y cyfnod rhwng hysbysu cynghorwyr a rhyddhau'r wybodaeth yn ehangach. Rwy'n cymryd cyfrifoldeb am hyn fel Prif Weithredwr ac rwy'n cydnabod pe bai modd i ni fynd yn ôl mewn amser y byddwn yn sicr wedi rhoi mwy o amser i aelodau lleol ystyried y mater. Byddwn yn dysgu o hynny, rwy'n addo hynny i chi."
