Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations, with an additional recommendation of:

(c)        That Welsh Government be requested to grant NNDR reductions to businesses for making toilets available to the public where approved as part of the Local Toilet Strategy.

            Councillor Thomas introduced the Local Toilets Strategy report which provided an update on the completed statutory public consultation process.  To assist the Council in developing its strategy, a number of individuals, stakeholder networks and organisations had been engaged to gather information which helped to develop a needs assessment and informed the draft strategy.

            It was emphasised that whilst there was a duty to prepare a Local Toilets Strategy, it did not require the Council to provide and maintain public toilets directly nor was the Council required to provide additional dedicated facilities.

            The statutory consultation opened on 4^th February 2019 and was accessible until 26^th February 2019 – 201 responses had been received. Those responses had been analysed and where necessary and appropriate had been included in the final Local Toilets Strategy.

            The proposed strategy included a 12 point Action Plan for the two year period covered by the strategy and was appended to the report. 

The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) explained that in April 2019 Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee were asked to focus on five specific areas that formed the basis of the strategy and the five questions asked, and responses, were detailed in the report.  The Committee had supported the draft Local Toilets Strategy and the approach officers had taken in its development. 

A number of comments were made on another Welsh Government (WG) initiative for local authorities which did not have any funds to support it.  A discussion took place on the possibility of local businesses being awarded National Non Domestic Rate Relief if they were to offer toilet facilities to the public where approved as part of the local strategy. It was agreed this would be pursued with WG.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the details contained within the report and the outcome of the public statutory consultation on the Local Toilets Strategy be noted;

(b)       That the Local Toilet Strategy for Flintshire County Council be approved;   and

(c)        That Welsh Government be requested to grant NNDR reductions to businesses for making toilets available to the public where approved as part of the Local Toilet Strategy.