Local councils may take over public toilets to boost economy

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter 

A county council’s review says town councils should be given the chance to save public toilets due to their importance to the economy.

After the public consultation this week, Flintshire County Council’s Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee said the facilities in Mold, Holywell and Talacre could eventually result in a charging model being introduced in order to preserve the facilities for future visitors.

There was also scathing criticism levelled at Welsh Government for creating uncertainty and conflict over the provision of public toilets with its Local Toilet Strategy.

The consultation, which ran from November 5 to December 2 last year, was launched in response to a major backlash over plans to close the three public toilets that ended with a special meeting in August to debate the matter.

Almost 500 members of the public responded to the consultation with almost 69% stating they use public toilets.

A significant number of respondents said asking to use toilets offered by businesses without first making a purchase was a major barrier.

Some responses even suggested in Talacre that using the sand dunes is the only way to avoid toilet queues during high season.

Barriers

Chief Officer for Streetscene and Transportation Katy Wilby said: “There were quite a number of barriers quoted as to why people couldn’t use existing community toilet facilities (those available to use in libraries, leisure centres or businesses).

“That included lack of signage, restricted opening times, distance from the town centres, accessibility being cited as an issue, security and anti‑social behaviour – and the anti‑social behaviour extended to things like vandalism and cleanliness.

“A lot of people also quoted the stigma and fear of being challenged for using local businesses’ facilities without buying from them, as a bit of an issue.

“Of the people who said that they “sometimes” or “often” used them – it was generally public houses or supermarkets that were used – and also the libraries.”

She went on to explain that the county council had removed funding from the toilets – meaning management of public toilets needed to be managed differently.

“In budget‑setting for last year, £59,000 was actually taken out of the budget and we were already left with a balance of £19,000 to run all the remaining toilet facilities this year,” she said.

“We took the decision to keep them open, so currently this year we’re actually projecting an overspend of £87,000.

“We are now we’re putting aside, £53,000 as a pressure for six months to allow us time to be able to transfer those assets.”

Members of the committee backed the recommendation that town and community councils be offered the chance to take over the running of public toilets.

Criticism 

Mold Cllr Chris Bithell criticised both Welsh Government and the local authority for their stance on public toilets.

“We all know that people at sometime or other need a public convenience and we all use them, whether we’re elderly, young, parents with babies, disabled people, people who have particular infirmities which require access to public conveniences on a regular and timely basis,” he said.

“I think it’s important that we actually recognise that we aim, as an authority, to regenerate our towns and ensure their viability and sustainability. They’re struggling at the moment.

“It’s in the council plan, in quite stark letters, that this is our intention, our aim. But do our actions speak to that particular aim and objective? I’m afraid they don’t. We say one thing and do something quite opposite, which really harms those particular towns and communities.

“The point is, we are trying to pass-the-parcel in this, and this is what the consultation is all about. ‘We don’t want to do it anymore, we can’t do it anymore, we can’t afford it – will you do it? No. Will you do it? No. Will you do it? No’. This is rather lamentable in real terms.

“The only people who, at the end of the day, who have said they will step up to the plate to save us from the impact this will have are the town and community councils, and thank goodness they’re there and that showing some willingness to pick up the tab on this.

“I’ve said before and I’ll say it again – the Welsh Government’s Local Toilet Strategy is the most useless piece of legislation I’ve ever come across in my life. It acknowledges the urgent need – and the basic need – for public conveniences in the country and then goes on to say nothing as to which body is responsible for running them.

“What a useless piece of paper. The only good it would make is toilet paper at the end of the day.”

More welcoming response

Others were more welcoming of the proposals.

“I’d like to offer my congratulations and support to those town and community councils who have expressed an interest in taking on the toilets,” said Cllr David Healey.

“I think their real salvation depends on them. I’m actually very sorry that the toilets have been a low priority as far as our own council is concerned, because I do see them as an important economic asset in facilitating footfall in an area, which facilitates economic regeneration.

“It is clearly an essential asset as far as public health is concerned, quite apart from the economic and tourism arguments, because simply you do not want people using the dunes and the shoreline as a toilet facility in Talacre. That is completely wrong and the toilets there must be kept open.”

Cllr Chris Dolphin was positive about the prospect of town and community council’s taking over the management of public toilets in Holywell, Mold and Talacre.

“This is a real opportunity for our local towns to run their own local facilities at last, maybe that’s how it always should have been,” he said.

“There may be a payment model – nothing like that’s ever been discussed before – in the future. Just under a quarter of consultees would not support a pay model. But it’s something perhaps that should be considered in the future.”