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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 35)

35 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:

Minutes:

The purpose of this item was for Council to consider a petition submitted under the Local Petition Scheme (Part F of the Constitution).

 

The Chair invited the representative for the petition, Councillor Ben Eddolls, Chair of Stow Town Council, to present the petition. The following points were made:

 

  • Whilst there was a recognition of the financial challenges affecting the Council’s decision to close the toilets, it was highlighted how the facilities were important for tourists visiting the area. Particularly those who come by coach.
  • The area has two toilets in the Market Square and at Maugsbury Road car park and it was recognised that one of these facilities needed to be closed.
  • Stow Town Council had been in negotiations with the Council to keep these open, but the financial burden to the Town Council would not be sustainable given the funding for facilities only coming from the precept levied on homeowners.
  • The closure of the town centre facilities would have an impact on the town centre, particularly for those with accessibility needs if the facilities would close.

 

The Chair then reminded Members of the recommendations which were as on the report

 

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.

 

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Mike Evemy, then responded to the petition, and made the following points:

 

  • Councillor Ben Eddolls was thanked for bringing forward the petition for Council to consider.
  • A formal response was then circulated to all Members in the room which read as follows:

 

This Council notes the petition signed by 1,198 people requesting the Council to retain the public toilets in High Street/Market Square, Stow-on-the-Wold.

 

This Council resolves to refer consideration of the petition to Cabinet, as it is the relevant decision-making body, for discussion and decision at its meeting on 3 October 2024

 

  • Councillor Evemy and the Deputy Chief Executive had visited Stow on 11 September 2024 to discuss the future of the facilities, in addition to previous discussions with officers and the Town Council.
  • Residents had been in touch with the Council about their concerns if the facilities were closed.
  • Due to the financial challenges facing the Council, the Public Conveniences Review Group had looked at the operation of the non-statutory services.
  • Based on the recommendations of the Working Group, Cabinet took a decision in February 2024 to retain one facility in all of the main localities where there were multiple facilities with exception of Bourton-on-the-Water where two higher usage facilities would be retained.
  • Whilst Cabinet needed to make the determination, Councillor Evemy was minded to recommend to Cabinet to retain the Market Square toilets and close the facilities at Maugersbury Road following the representations made.

 

It was highlighted that Stow Town Council had worked hard to investigate whether they could take over the running of the toilets  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35

 

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