Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment

The Cabinet Member Finance introduced the report, she explained that in May 2019 a report was submitted to Asset Management Working Group (AMWG) that detailed the current situation with regard to the Authority’s public toilets and four options for how the Authority might manage the amenity in the future. The options were to:

·           Retain and invest in the facilities currently operational;

·           Close all facilities and seek a community partnership initiative to provide public access to alternative facilities;

·           Retain selective facilities and seek a community partnership initiative to provide public access to alternative facilities; or

·           Retain and invest in the facilities currently operational and introduce charging.

In July Cabinet approved the recommendation to adopt a strategy to guide future decision making with regard to public conveniences and the recommendation that a consultation exercise be undertaken in respect of option 3, ‘’to retain selective facilities and seek a community partnership initiative to provide public access to alternative facilities’’.

She highlighted that a changing places facility had been installed in Pittville Park and they were looking at another site in the town centre to support those with significant needs. This could potentially be in Regent Arcade and so would allow access into the evening once the new cinema complex was open.

She stressed that the council were keen to improve access to better facilities which were available for longer hours and had explored various options including the option for a community partnership scheme. This would involve local business allowing the public to freely use public conveniences in their premises even if individuals do not make a purchase and the council would pay a fee to the business premises to include them in the scheme.

The review had concluded that the council should:

·           Retain wcs in parks where there is high usage and invest in these facilities including a brand new facility in Sandford park;

·           Close 2 very poor the town centre facilities (Royal Well, Imperial gardens)subject to accessing alternative facilities via a community partnership scheme; and

·           Close Bath Terrace and introduce a community partnership scheme on the Bath road subject to accessing alternative facilities via a community partnership scheme.

She stressed that they would not close any toilets unless they could secure partners to be involved in the community partnership scheme.

RESOLVED THAT:

1.      Selected facilities be retained and selected facilities be closed subject to achieving access to alternative appropriate facilities via a community partnership scheme as recommended in the report at paragraph 4.4 and subject to a post implementation review after 1 year;

2.      A community partnership initiative be developed to provide public access to appropriate alternative facilities;

3.      Authority be delegated to the Head of Property and Asset Management (in consultation with the Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment, and the Cabinet Member Finance) to implement public convenience asset investment and rationalisation in line with potential opportunities raised in the report, including approval of Heads of Terms for any agreements or transactions involving third parties;

4.      Authority be delegated to the Borough Solicitor to complete such documents as she considers appropriate to implement the Heads of Terms agreed in accordance with Resolution 3.