AN AMMANFORD town councillor says it is “absolutely immoral” that Carmarthenshire County Council is committed to closing public toilets which local councils do not take on.

The local authority – which does not have to run public toilets – says facilities which smaller councils decide not to maintain will be shut on March 31.

But deputy mayor Irena Hopkins told colleagues that such a service should be a statutory requirement. “This is the most essential service of all,” she argued.

“You have to provide facilities. Without toilets it’s only a matter of time before we get bugs and infections.”

But Colin Evans, the county council’s executive board member for Street Scene, replied: “This is one of many non-statutory requirements that I’m afraid will have to go.

“These are set by lawit’s nothing to do with the county council.

Over the next five years I have to find savings of £5m. You have to concentrate on statutory services.”

He added that the move would save the authority £92,500 a year and that before handing them over County Hall would ensure toilets were up to the required standard and provide a one-off payment of £1,000.

Cllr Wendy Evans forecast that the inability of some councils to raise their precepts would inevitably result in the closure of some public toilets.

Town clerk Miriam Phillips said the county council needed a decision by December 14 and it was agreed that the matter would again be discussed at the town council’s next monthly meeting on Monday (December 3).