Five public conveniences in Tenby, one in Saundersfoot, one in Narberth and one in Pembroke Dock will see their prices double this year following a Cabinet go-ahead to proposals on Monday.

The price increase, which is expected to begin by April 1, means doubling the price from 20p to 40p. This means a family of five will soon have to pay £2 to “spend a penny” - a double blow for Tenby tourists and Saundersfoot sunbathers.

The decision follows a consultation in which the majority of the 450 respondents stated they no desire to see prices increase.

Cabinet member for environment and Welsh Language, Clr. Cris Tomos said “it’s human nature that we want to maintain prices lower.”

Any increases will be “ring-fenced” for the provision of toilets in the county and “we are committed to giving our citizens and visitors a quality toilet service,” he added.

Out of the 72 public conveniences in Pembrokeshire, 60 are run by the County Council, with Danfo responsible for cleaning and maintaining them. Only ten of these currently charge for use, of which five are in Tenby (Castle Beach, Multi-Storey, North Beach Car Park, South Beach and The Green).

The other five are: Saundersfoot Regency, Narberth Town Moor, Pembroke Dock (Gordon Street), St. Davids Whitesands and Broad Haven (Marine Road).

The “bigger barrier” than the actual cost of a loo visit, as Cabinet member for economy, tourism, leisure and culture Clr. Paul Miller saw it, was the necessity of having the right change.

He also raised the possibility of closer examination of areas “in which everybody else is making money while we provide the toilet provision” and whether other parties could take over.

Clr. Miller referred to a summer trip to Skomer where boat operators charged and the National Trust charged for parking but the council maintained the free toilets.

It was stated at the meeting that contactless payments will be introduced at all public conveniences that charge, removing the inconvenient need for coins.

Councillors plan to look into the possibility of charging at other sites that are currently free, and to urge the Welsh Government to remove business rates on toilets, as has already happened in England.

In addition, the council is encouraging and supporting business to make their facilities available to the public, the meeting heard.

Cabinet approved the increased charges; Clr. Phil Baker, who had “reservations” about the increase, abstained.

Pembrokeshire got a mention in The Guardian this week on account of the proposed loo price increase, but it was in the context of a UK-wide decline in the number of facilities as councils try to reduce expenditure. “The average council has just 15 public toilets for an estimated 12,500 people,” the article laments; Wiltshire’s conveniences have dwindled from 32 to one, they claim, and with London railway stations charging 50p a “go”, even these new Pembrokeshire prices are not the worst in the UK.

Following the consultation on public conveniences last autumn, Pembrokeshire County Council stated that “a final strategy will published by May 31, 2019.”