Plans to map public toilets to help people spend a penny

A new mapping system is set to be created in order to help people to spend a penny in Flintshire.

The list of public toilets is designed to provide information about the location, opening times, accessibility and type of facilities available in the county.

Flintshire Council currently only runs four public conveniences, with two located in Mold at New Street car park and the town’s bus station.

Meanwhile, loos can also be found at Station Road in Talacre and off Holywell High Street.

The number has reduced to just a third of the 12 facilities it operated in 2012 amid concerns over maintenance costs and anti-social behaviour.

However, the local authority has signalled its intention to work with other organisations to increase the amount of toilets which are open to a public.

Outlining the proposals in its Draft Local Toilets Strategy, the council said: “It is intended that the information collated as part of preparing this strategy is replicated and made available in the most convenient manner so that people who need to visit a toilet can easily access information.

“Participating premises will also display a sticker in a prominent place, indicating that toilets are available for the public.

“Once we have identified the toilets that will be publicised as available for use by the general public, Flintshire County Council will prepare a dataset to a given specification, and make it available as open data on the council website.

“Flintshire County Council will explore options which include working with the private sector, voluntary services and community councils to make local toilets available in places where they are most needed.”

The document shows the council used to spend about £173,000 a year on maintaining public toilets.

However, it said drug use and vandalism had led to them being closed.

The strategy includes plans to approach businesses to provide toilets, as well as working with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to encourage them to make their facilities available to the public.

The proposals will be discussed by members of the authority’s environment scrutiny committee on Tuesday, April 9.

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).