Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director (DB).

The Director (DB) presented the report requesting permission to start a public consultation on the proposals to close a number of public conveniences to achieve the required budget savings and enable a balanced budget to be set.

Members were informed that further central government funding cuts meant that the City Council had to find additional savings of £3.9 million over the next two financial years. All non-statutory services were under pressure to deliver savings Public Conveniences were not a statutory service the Council no longer had enough funding to maintain all the sites that it operated.

The consultation would start next week and run for three weeks, this would be on-line and papers copies would be available at the Civic Centre. Part of the consultation would be around the concept of a community toilet scheme which had been successful in other parts of the Country including Bristol.

Members were asked how they would like the final decision to be made, delegated to the Director or brought back to Executive.

Councillor Pierce, speaking under Standing Order No.44, raised concerns regarding the potential closure of the Public Conveniences at Topsham Quay and that they were essential for the Economy and Tourism in Topsham.

The Leader stated that this process was the start of a consultation and that Councillor Pierce should encourage the Topsham residents to write in.  

The Director (DB) confirm that so far 19 letters had been received in support of the Topsham Fore Street toilets.

Members support the final decision be brought back to Executive to make.

RESOLVED that the following be noted:-

(1)        In common with many cities around the UK, the Councils public toilets no longer serve the needs of residents and were costly to maintain.  Many were hidden away and in poor condition.  They attract serious and repeated anti-social behaviour including widespread drug use and are regularly vandalised.  Understandably many are infrequently used;

(2)        Further central government funding reductions mean that the City Council had to find an additional saving of £3.9 million over the next two financial years.  Every service was being challenged to ensure that it provides value for money and all non-statutory services were under considerable pressure.  Public conveniences were not a statutory service and the Council no longer had enough funding to maintain all the sites it operate;

(3)        the Council operate 26 public conveniences across the City Council area, with two of those currently closed due to anti-social behaviour; and

(4)        a consultation on proposals to rationalise the Council’s existing provision to a more manageable number and suggested alternative proposals to improve the availability of good quality publically accessible toilets be approved and the consultation results be brought back to Executive to make the final decision.