Cleaning at a public toilet in Rhayader will be increased for a six month trial

At the moment the town council pays for the toilets to be cleaned for six hours a week and it costs £3,900.

But Rhayader Mayor Councillor Clare Evans said: “There have been a lot more unsavoury incidents in the toilets since we started charging for them and I think we are getting anti social behaviour at a level that we have never had before.”

She said she had looked at the number of hours on the cleaning contract at the moment and the cleaner had said she would like to leave but if the package was more attractive she may be interested.

Councillor Evans said: “It would help the cleaner and possibly the anti-social behaviour if the toilets were closed at night, but then we would have the issue of who opens and closes them.”

Councillor Christian Walton said; “First thing in the morning and late at night the toilets are used a lot by carers out on their rounds. It would be a great help if there was someone calling in at the toilets more often.

She said if the increased the cleaning hours to 10 it would cost £8,316 or 14 hours would cost £9,327.

Members considered the possibility of a job share arrangement to provide some relief for the cleaners.

The council was told the toilets cost about £11,700 and the town council is currently taking about 400 a month from the turnstile, but they acknowledged that may increase through the spring and summer with more visitors.

Members agreed to increase the hours to 14 with the toilets to be cleaned and serviced every day, which increases the costs to £9,327.  

To avoid using local tax payers money, the additional funding will be taken from other income including the Bryntili Find. 

Opportunities for a job share will be explored, and the new arrangements will be trialled for six months and reviewed again at the end of the summer.

Members agreed to the new arrangements.