THE amount of voluntary work being carried out by town councillors at Newcastle Emlyn is increasing all the time as they look to make up for a shortfall in cash.

Cllr Alan Jones raised the issue as the town councillors debated keeping open the town’s Mart toilets seven days a week during the summer.

Carmarthenshire County Council pays for the toilets to be cleaned from Monday to Saturday but councillors felt it was important to keep them open on a Sunday as well.

“The town has just produced a nice leaflet to encourage visitors to come to Newcastle Emlyn and then we cannot provide them with toilets. That door being locked is such a put off and I think we should be able to open one of the toilets at least,” said town mayor Cllr Cefin Evans.

Other councillors agreed they would open and shut the toilets themselves on a Sunday and make sure they were clean.

“The budget is so tight and it is not going to get any better,” said Cllr Hazel Evans.

“We just seem to be doing more and more voluntary work and are taking on more jobs because of the financial situation,” said Cllr Jones.

“It’s the way to save money and shows our hearts are in the town but where do you stop? I am not suggesting we don’t do these things such as putting up the Christmas lights or looking after the toilets but you have to look at it sometimes.

"I won't walk away from any of this but what about councillors in the future? We all became councillors because we want to help but we are a council, not labourers. We are also often doing the job for the county council and saving them money.”

Cllr Barry Evans said: “This is why I became a councillor. If we don’t have the money, what are we going to do? The money's just not there but I am more than happy to do what it takes.”