Newtown Public Toilets – Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council Statement
A consultation on Powys Public Toilet Strategy is currently being undertaken by Powys County Council, running until 22nd April, to which the Town Council has made a response.
The consultation document and the report to Powys CC Economy, Residents, Communities and Governance Scrutiny Committee yesterday (17th Apr’19) contained incorrect information on the two public toilets in Newtown run by the town council. It states there are no baby changing facilities in Newtown.
That is not true – the town council provides separate baby changing facilities in both Back Lane and Shortbridge Street public toilets. They are cleaned daily, and have separate access from the male, female and the wheelchair accessible toilets.
Nor does it appear to be merely an incorrect assumption by the county council, as the town council’s staff pointed out the facilities to Powys CC officers during their base-data collection exercise in August last year.
It’s very disappointing to see this misinformation about the facilities in Newtown provided by the town council for its residents and visitors, being misreported in the press to the public, and to the county councillors – information on which they will be making decisions.
It’s even more frustrating that this has received such publicity just before bank holiday weekend when we hope to encourage visitor footfall, not discourage it.
The public toilets are one of the priority services identified by residents of Newtown and the town council invests considerable funds (raised from householders) to provide them.
We welcome visitors and residents into Newtown. Our public toilets – with separate baby changing facilities – will be open free of charge as usual.
ENDS
