Anglesey toilets saved from closure
Published on 04 February 2013 03:00 PM
Age Cymru has welcomed the announcement from Anglesey Council that it won't now be closing public toilets as part of a cost-cutting exercise.
Commenting on the news, our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Graeme Francis says:
"Age Cymru is glad that Anglesey Council has now decided against shutting its public toilets.
"We were very anxious when the news broke a month ago that the authority was proposing to shut its network of public toilets to save £3.45 million over the next year.
"Our concerns were based on the effect that this course of action would have had on Anglesey's older residents.
"Public toilets are a lifeline and they provide older people with the freedom, independence and the confidence they need to lead fulfilling and active lives.
"Age Cymru was also worried that this development on Anglesey would have opened the floodgates to other cash-strapped local authorities closing their own public toilets to save money.
"While we welcome this change of mind by Anglesey Council - as well as it's preparedness to listen to public opinion, this situation does reinforce our opinion that a new law is needed that compels local authorities to provide public toilets, as theoretically, there is nothing to stop all local authorities in Wales closing every public toilet in the country."