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Agenda item

Public Toilets

Purpose

To provide an update on the public toilets.

 

Recommendation

That Overview and Scrutiny resolves to:

Note actions and progress since the Cabinet meeting on 1 February 2024 (Annex A)

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment introduced the Public Toilets update.  They raised the following points:

  • Progress on previous decisions regarding the public toilets project had not met expectations.
  • Some toilets had been closed where there had previously been multiple Council-operated facilities within the same town.
  • Changes resulting from Local Government Devolution had affected the anticipated timelines for return on investment and capital expenditure.
  • There was a shared desire to avoid imposing additional costs on Town and Parish Councils to adopt these facilities.
  • Concerns were raised over the initial failure to identify that certain assets were in poor physical condition and in need of significant upgrades.

 

 

The Deputy Chief Executive stated that the level of support for the action plan had fallen short of the expectations of both the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Task-and-Finish Group. He reiterated the need for careful consideration of future actions by Cotswold District Council in the context of ongoing Local Government Reform

 

Members discussed the report raising the following points:

  • Members expressed disappointment that the charge for using public toilets had not been increased towards a level that would cover the cost of providing the service. It was noted that the February Budget meeting had recommended that the charges for most discretionary services should be cost neutral . A question was raised as to why the charge had not been adjusted accordingly.

The installation of digital card readers had been intended to facilitate easier payments by the public. The Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment agreed that the service should operate on a cost-neutral basis and confirmed that the introduction of card readers would support the implementation of this approach.

 

  • Members inquired about the costs associated with reopening the public toilets at Maugersbury Road Car Park for the Horse Fair, as well as the implications for future facilities if such assets are disposed of.  The Parking Manager confirmed that there would be a cost incurred for reopening the Maugersbury Road toilets for the five days of the fair.  The Deputy Chief Executive stated that it was Council policy to recover costs for discretionary services through appropriate fees, including for public conveniences. Before implementing wider adjustments to the standard fee structure—particularly introducing charges at previously free locations—data on the impacts of such changes should be collected and assessed.

 

  • Members reflected on a key finding from the Task and Finish Group, noting that many residents were unaware that the provision of public conveniences is a discretionary service offered by the Council. A Member emphasised the importance of clearly communicating this to the public.

 

  • Members reflected on a key finding from of the Task-and-Finish Group to improve the toilet facilities. It was emphasised that, in order for the payment system to operate effectively, access points must first be secured and made fit for purpose. This should then be followed by the introduction of a user-friendly payment system.

 

  • Members noted that several hospitality venues within the District had expressed frustration over visitors using their toilet facilities without making a purchase. It was highlighted that this placed a financial burden on businesses.

 

  • Members observed that, with the potential transition to a unitary authority model, the future management of public convenience assets would likely fall to local councils. They stressed the importance of providing adequate time and detailed financial information to enable Town and Parish Councils to assess their capacity to assume such responsibilities.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment agreed that a clear business case should be developed and presented to Town and Parish Councils. He also emphasised the need for transparency regarding the consequences of non-adoption, noting that facilities could be at risk of closure if local councils chose not to take them on.

 

  • A Member queried whether there was any fundamental reason why necessary maintenance work could not be commissioned and carried out by an external contractor. It was suggested that outsourcing the work or bringing in additional expertise incurred significant expense, it would be necessary to assess whether the cost could be recouped through a return on investment.

 

  • Members inquired about resident feedback regarding the closure of public toilets. The Parking Manager explained that seven complaints had been received concerning the closure of toilets for the 2024/25 period.

 

  • The Member also raised concerns about usage data following the increase in charges, suggesting that higher fees may have led to misuse of nearby areas, break-ins, or attempts to bypass the payment systems. The Parking Manager confirmed that usage had increased compared to the previous year.

 

The Committee commended the open approach of the Cabinet Member and officers and expressed their thanks for the comprehensive report.

 

The Committee RESOLVED to submit the following recommendation to Cabinet:

 

That the Council gives a higher priority to implementing the recommendations from the Public Conveniences Working Group that were agreed by Cabinet on 1 February 2024.

 

Proposer by Councillor David Cunningham and seconded by Councillor Angus Jenkinson. 

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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