PEMBROKESHIRE second homes council tax premiums will help provide a lifeline for public toilets under threat of potential closure if a decision by senior councillors is backed.

The council’s Cabinet, meeting on Monday, February 13, considered a report on public toilet provision in the county, that proposes 30-plus toilets -many in seaside towns and villages – could be under threat of closure from November, unless community asset transfers to town and community councils are agreed, or funding streams are identified.

A difficulty for any local councils who want to take over their toilets is they may have already decided their precept for the year, the report for members warned.

It suggested a one-year sum of money – £360,000 – be made available from the affordable housing provision collected from the second homes tax premium, be used to keep toilets open while any negotiations take place.

Second homes are currently taxed at a 100 per cent premium in the county.

“This temporary funding would be used to cover the contract costs of the facilities at risk of closure for one year whilst other arrangements are explored and implemented,” the report said.

At the February 13 meeting, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Councillor Rhys Sinnett stressed: “We’re not looking for closures, in fact we want to save as many as possible, but we need other organisations to support us. We know the toilets are valued, that’s exactly why we’re looking for sustainable funding models.”

He said the report before members made “uncomfortable reading,” adding: “It is simply not possible to sustain the current provision.”

He said a “big however” was using a section of the affordable homes funds derived from second homes council tax premium to temporarily support the provision of public toilets.

Later on in the February 13 meeting, Cabinet members agreed to use part of the second homes premium to subsidise a lower council tax for the county, the same general pot of money being available for the public toilets.

Councillor Michelle Bateman said: “It can’t be easy to bring a report like this to Cabinet; I hope this won’t lead to a wholesale closure of toilets; we have to consider things we might not even have thought we’d be looking at a few years ago.”

The recommendation before Cabinet, which was approved, is to close all PCC funded toilets listed in Group 2, where legally able, from November 5, unless a community asset transfer is agreed – which would be in place by next March – or a funding stream identified, giving those that do a period of grace to March 31 of next year.

It included the option of – backed by Cabinet members – of using an element of the Second Homes Council Tax Premium.

The use of the second homes premium subsidising council tax – which could affect the toilets subsidy – will have to be agreed at the March 2 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council.

Toilets under review include: Abercastle; Abereiddy; Amroth East; Angle; Bosherston; Burton; Broad Haven; Millmoor Way; Carew; Cresswell Quay; Cwm Yr Eglwys; Dale; Freshwater East; Kilgetty; Little Haven; Manorbier; Marloes; Moylegrove; Newgale South; Newport Beach; Newport Parrog; Neyland; Nolton; Penally; Poppit Sands; Porthgain; Pwllgwaelod; Saundersfoot; Solva; St Brides; St Davids Bryn Road; St Davids; Oriel Y Parc Tenby North Beach; Tenby Upper Frog Street; Wisemans Bridge.