MILFORD Haven Town Council has agreed to pay to keep the public toilets on the Rath open during the summer, despite reservations about who will be responsible for unexpected repairs.

The toilet block was one of several in Pembrokeshire threatened with closure as the county council looks to save money.

In its precept meeting in January, the town council had agreed to put aside £3,500 to keep the toilets open from April to September, to coincide with when the open-air paddling pool is open.

However, with no more in the budget, some councillors had raised concerns over who would foot the bill for unexpected repairs or acts of vandalism.

At a meeting last month, Councillor Rhys Sinnett said the vague nature of the draft agreement between the town council and Pembrokeshire County Council – who will take over the operation and management of the toilets – was worrying.

“We lack some protection for a ceiling on running costs,” he said. He added that there was nothing to stop the town council being “beholden” to the county council if problems were to arise, and that costs could easily spiral out of control.

But, at a meeting of full council on Monday (February 24), councillors agreed that they needed to ‘put the issue to bed’ or lose the toilets altogether.

They resolved to accept the agreement, with the proviso that a site visit was carried out beforehand to check the condition of the toilets, and that the county council should inform the town council before any extra repairs were carried out.