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Issue - meetings

Petition: Cotswold District Council retain the public toilets in the High Street/Market Square, Stow on the Wold

 

 

Meeting: 03/10/2024 - Cabinet (Item 8)

8 Petition: Retain the Public Toilets in the High Street/Market Square, Stow-on-the-Wold pdf icon PDF 105 KB

Purpose

For Cabinet to consider a petition submitted under the Local Petition Scheme (Part F of the Constitution) which has been referred to Cabinet by full Council.

 

Recommendation

That Cabinet resolves to either:

  1. Agree to the petition request to keep open the public conveniences in the High Street / Market Square, Stow-on-the-Wold and instead close the public conveniences in Maugersbury Road; or
  2. Agree to note the petition and take no further action.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The purpose of the report was for Cabinet to consider a petition submitted under the Local Petition Scheme (Part F of the Constitution) which has been referred to Cabinet by Full Council.

 

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Mike Evemy introduced the item to Cabinet as the portfolio holder for public conveniences.

 

The Leader invited Councillor Ben Eddolls, Chair of Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council to address the Cabinet regarding the petition.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Mike Evemy and seconded by Councillor Claire Bloomer.

 

 

RESOLVED: That Cabinet

 

1.    AGREED to the petition request to keep open the public conveniences in the High Street / Market Square, Stow-on-the-Wold and instead close the public conveniences in Maugersbury Road.

 

Voting Record

 

6 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstention

 

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was for Cabinet to consider a petition submitted under the Local Petition Scheme (Part F of the Constitution) which had been referred to Cabinet by Full Council.

 

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Mike Evemy, introduced the item to Cabinet as the portfolio holder for public conveniences and made the following points:

 

  • Full Council received the petition at its meeting on 25 September 2024 and resolved that the petition should be referred to Cabinet for consideration.
  • The Deputy Leader proposed recommendation 1 which was to

 

‘Agree to the petition request to keep open the public conveniences in the High Street / Market Square, Stow-on-the-Wold and instead close the public conveniences in Maugersbury Road’

 

  • The Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Public Conveniences Review Group had been asked to look at the facilities, given the financial pressures on the Council. The cost of running the facilities was around £170,000 which was set to increase.
  • The proposals provided to Cabinet at its meeting in February 2024 would keep one facility open in areas where multiple facilities were provided. These towns included Stow, Cirencester and Tetbury.
  • The view of the Review Group and officers was that the Market Square toilets might be taken on by Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council, and its Chair Ben Eddolls was thanked for his engagement on this matter. However, this option wasn’t deemed as financially viable for the Town Council.
  • The petition was presented to the Deputy Leader and the Deputy Chief Executive during a meeting with the Town Council where this alternative option was discussed.
  • Consideration of the future of the Maugersbury Road toilet facilities had been given, and it was stated that the facilities would be opened for the Stow Fair in October and then their future would be evaluated after that.
  • The public through the petition had shown their support for the toilets in the Market Square.

 

The Leader invited Councillor Ben Eddolls, Chair of Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council, to address the Cabinet regarding the petition:

 

  • There was an understanding the Council needed to make savings and the community wished to work closely with the Council in the future.
  • The decision to keep the toilets would support those tourists who come to visit the town centre.
  • Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council wished to have a dialogue with the Council about the future of the Maugersbury Road toilets to see how they could be preserved or used in future.

 

Councillor Claire Bloomer seconded and noted how the petition showed residents engaging with the Council and how the Council was able to respond in a positive way towards it.

 

The Cabinet reaffirmed its desire to engage with communities regarding any changes to local facilities.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Mike Evemy and seconded by Councillor Claire Bloomer.

 

Meeting: 25/09/2024 - Council (Item 8.)

8. Petition: Retain the public toilets in the High Street/Market Square, Stow-on-the-Wold pdf icon PDF 104 KB

Purpose

For Council to consider a petition submitted under the Local Petition Scheme (Part F of the Constitution).

 

Recommendations

That Council resolves to either:

1.    Make recommendations to Cabinet as the decision-maker for the request to be considered.

2.    Refer the petition to Overview and Scrutiny Committee for review.

3.    Note the petition and take no further action.

Additional documents:

 

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