SO – non-essential businesses may now re-open.

As long as the number of new corona virus cases continues to fall, from July 6, the five mile ‘stay local’ restriction will be removed.

It is now hoped that, from July 13, bookings for self-contained holiday accommodation may be taken.

All good. But we fervently hope that, freed to go out more ourselves, and with more summer visitors to our beautiful county, that all public toilets will be re-opened too.

Perhaps our lovely seaside towns and villages will not be overrun by risk-taking hordes similar to those responsible for the ‘major incident’ declared recently at Bournemouth beach. Nor suffer the extensive pollution caused there by human faeces. Perhaps we may not see such pollution and anti-social behaviour of the scale already suffered by locals who live near the beaches of south Wales.

But these scenarios are very likely to be repeated if nothing is done to ensure that our public toilets are opened. Now. Countywide.

We want our county to be a safe and hygienic place that people will continue to want to visit. And we do not need to increase the risk of Covid-19 spreading any faster. As it will do, if nothing is done about this problem.

The costs of the clean-up - and the response to the inevitable increase in demand for our health and care services – will far outweigh those of providing the public service that any civilised society should be able to take for granted.

SHIRLEY HAMMOND-WILLIAMS AND LEIGH SMITH,

Bosherston