FOLLOWING a query from a local resident of Solva regarding the provision and access of disabled toilets in the village I was astonished to learn of the current process required in order to gain access to said facilities.

Persons wishing to access the toilets in question are required to be holders of a Radar key which is conveniently available from the north wing of county hall for the sum of £2.95. How on earth has this been allowed to be implemented? It seems madness to require disabled individuals to have to pay to access something as fundamental as the loo!

Further to this, the rigmarole and associated cost of having to get to Haverfordwest and to have to pay for this Radar key is completely out of order.

I would suggest that this is actually a breach of accessibility laws and discrimination against the disabled.

How are visitors supposed to know where, or even how, to get access to these toilets whilst on holiday?

I concede that the key, once purchased, does allow the bearer access to all manner of resplendent disabled toilets countywide, something I’m sure many visitors to this county can’t wait to experience.

This is once again one of the shining examples of incompetence brought about by the leadership at county hall.

I would suggest a bit of light reading starting with the Disability Equality Act, the fact that disabled persons are subjected to this shambolic state of affairs is a black mark on the name of our county.

I’m sure reference will be made to cost cutting and budgetary responsibility, but when the issue is something that so directly affects people’s quality of life and access to facilities as basic as a toilet, difficult, then I think we need to reassess our priorities.

There is a fundamental responsibility to ensure that disabled and elderly have the same opportunities and access to services as everyone else.

Joshua Phillips

Chair Solva Community Council