The plan for every public toilet in Denbighshire
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Proposals have been revealed for every Denbighshire council public toilet in the county - with closures, charging at all remaining sites and higher prices on the cards. In setting the 2024/25 budget a review of public conveniences was included.
This factored on £200,000 being removed from the public conveniences (PCs) budget in Highways and Environmental Services for 2024/25, reducing the budget to £70,000. That decision was largely based on an assumption that at least some PCs would need to close unless a way could be found to make the service fit the new budget
A report has set out what is recommended for each site (full list below)- although any final decision will depend on various factors. These include securing funding for revamps and the potential support from other organisations like town councils and Denbighshire Leisure.
The capital investment needed to carry out proposed upgrade works to retained sites would be £311,000 but this would then lead to revenue savings as sites are left unstaffed or in some cases charging brought in at toilets that are currently free to use.
There would be redundancies due to the closures and the plan to have sites unstaffed. The current estimated cost of managing all the PCs earmarked for potential retention is c.£272,000 while the current income from those sites is £57,000, therefore creating a net budget cost of £215,000.
Given that the budget is £70,000, a budget pressure of around £150,000 would remain.
But a report for Denbighshire council's cabinet said: "However, that budget pressure is based on current costs and income. It does not include any increased income from charging for all PCs in future and from increasing the price of entry. It also does not include a decrease in operating costs from all PCs being unstaffed and accepting cashless payment.
"The future running costs (after investment has enabled them all to become unstaffed and to accept cashless payment) will inevitably be less than the current running costs. The detailed work to estimate those future running costs is being finalised currently and will be completed prior to any further discussions with Town Councils."
The council's cabinet will discuss the proposals on April 29.
List of PCs and what is proposed:
Rhyl
Events Arena: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to Capital Scrutiny Group (CSG). Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation. Further discussion with (Denbighshire Leisure Ltd) DLL about potential transfer of the asset.
Children's Village: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation.
Town Hall: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation.
Old Golf Road: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation.
Botanical Gardens: Close and decommission this site. Due to the number of vandalism reports, this site has to be closed before 3pm each day before school closes. This facility is therefore unsustainable and recommended for closure.
Bus station Pod: Close and decommission the site. It is already permanently closed, replacement parts and software are no longer available. Pod is at end of life.
Prestatyn:
Barkby Beach: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation.
Nova: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation. Further discussion with DLL about potential transfer of the asset.
Ffordd Pendyffryn Bus Station Pod: Close and decommission the site. It is already permanently closed, replacement parts and software are no longer available. Pod is at end of life.
Train Station Pod: Close and decommission the site. It is already permanently closed, replacement parts and software are no longer available. Pod is at end of life.
Nant Hall Road: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation.
Rhuddlan:
Princes Road (off high street): Close and decommission the site. No identified need for PCs.
Llanelwy/St Asaph
High Street: Close and decommission the site. No identified need for PCs.
Dyserth:
Waterfall car park: Close and decommission the site. No identified need for PCs
Denbigh:
Factory Ward car park: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment.To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation.
Ruthin:
Cae Ddol: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. Refurbishment being funded through Levelling Up Round 2:Clwyd West, so no further funding required. Further discussion required with Town Council regarding possible asset transfer.
Market Street: Close and decommission if not able to transfer to Ruthin Town Council. Publicly available alternative provision in close proximity, for example toilets in County Hall reception area.
Llangollen:
Market Street car park: Retain and upgrade to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation. Price of entry will need to be increased to cover cost of operation.
Riverside Park Pod: Retain, but remove existing pod and replace with integrated accessible facility with barriers, to enable PC to be unstaffed and accept cashless payment. To be included in business case to CSG. Formal request to Town Council to raise Council Tax levy to pay for revenue cost of operation.
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