Agenda item

Report ES14094

Members considered a proposal to save £67k by closing Beckenham, Bromley, and West Wickham High Street public toilets (declaring the Beckenham property surplus to requirements) and introducing Community Toilet Schemes as alternative provision (six premises at Beckenham, eight premises at Bromley Town Centre, and five premises at West Wickham). Most of the agreements have no revenue cost implications, based upon the ‘Open London’ scheme or utilising other premises with no fee-paying requirements. The additional cost of new entrants to the scheme amounted to £2k pa; a list of the Community Toilet Scheme business partners being appended to Report ES14094.

Provisional results of public consultation on the toilet closures were tabled for the information of Members. These related to a total of 54 responses received between 18^th December 2014 and 12:00, 19^th January 2015.

Councillor Russell Mellor (Copers Cope) addressed the Committee.  Councillor Mellor had received a number of concerns, a principal one being that the consultation period started on 18^th December 2014, shortly before the Christmas/New Year holidays. He therefore welcomed an extension to the consultation period which was now set to close on 31^st January 2015. Councillor Mellor highlighted concern for the opening times of the community toilet schemes at Beckenham which some could find inconvenient. The opening times of the Costa Coffee facilities had been questioned and it was understood that the facilities at the Odeon Cinema would open at 2pm. The opening times of facilities at the Spa Leisure Centre and public halls opposite St George’s Church were also questionable. The facilities at Sainsbury’s were understood to comprise a single cubicle with poor cleansing.

Councillor Mellor also highlighted that some of the Community Scheme facilities were on the periphery of the town whereas the existing public facilities were located in the centre. A number of more elderly residents could be reluctant to visit the town centre if it were perceived there is a lack of facilities. Against savings that could be made from withdrawing the existing facilities it was necessary to consider the community benefit for residents. Councillor Mellor felt that this was not unreasonable. 

Councillor Mellor also highlighted recent investment to improve Beckenham Town Centre in order to encourage more visitors and shoppers. Should footfall increase, Councillor Mellor suggested that adequate facilities could be denied to visitors.

Should the Committee support the recommendations, the Chairman suggested it would be provisional subject to the outcome of consultation ending 31^st January 2015. There would be opportunity to give further scrutiny to the proposals at the Executive and Resources PDS Committee meeting on 4^th February 2015.

In looking to ensure that high standards of cleanliness and quality are consistently maintained in the community toilet schemes, particularly those provided from food outlets, officers would monitor the cleanliness of Community Toilet facilities. Residents had reported that they were concerned about cleanliness of the Sainsbury’s Open London provided facilities and officers would look to give a high priority to cleanliness ensuring the facilities were of an acceptable standard. Facilities within food premises were also subject to further inspection for food hygiene purposes by Environmental Health Officers. If standards were consistently poor at a facility consideration would be given to terminating the contract with the provider.

It was suggested that the proposals were fundamentally a revenue decision which needed to be weighed against priorities in more difficult areas. In closing the existing facilities, alternative toilet facilities would be provided. In addition to community toilet provision, a number of retailers also provided separate facilities for their customers. It was confirmed that opening hours for the existing Beckenham public toilet comprised 7am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 7am to 7pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

In response to a concern that facilities at premises in the “Open London” scheme might not always reflect an organisation’s corporate standards (the Council would have no contract with the local premises), it was explained that officers would need to build a relationship with store managers. Where local management proved resistant to concerns from the Council, officers would take matters to a higher level in the company’s management.

Should access to facilities at Costa Coffee, Beckenham be restricted by tables, chairs and other furniture, particularly for those with a disability, it would be possible to withdraw payment of a premium to provide facilities for disabled users. Officers would look at the Costa Coffee facilities to assess their accessibility, particularly for disabled users. If necessary it would be possible to negotiate further with the company to seek improvements.

The Vice-Chairman felt it was an undesirable decision to have to take and for a large part of the community the decision could be difficult. However, the facilities available in the community scheme provided a degree of choice for residents and she hoped this was a little more acceptable. She added that this was not the most difficult decision that would have to be made in considering next year’s budget. It was however important that the community scheme facilities are kept clean and the premises signposted.

During consultation a number of comments had been made about signage and officers would consider the Community Toilet Scheme signs for display on the windows of premises. It was necessary to remove any concern that a purchase would have to be made before using community scheme facilities.

As there were now a number of facilities in high streets, the Chairman suggested that retailers in an area could take on a more prominent role. At Orpington, a Business Improvement District (BID) had been established and the BID organisation was now managing toilet provision within the town centre. A significant amount of public funding had been invested in the borough’s high streets and the Community Toilet Scheme maintained a provision of toilets - the Chairman suggested that businesses could perhaps do more now.

Members supported the recommendations to the Executive.

RESOLVED that the Executive be recommended to agree:

(1) the closure of Beckenham, Bromley and West Wickham High Street public toilets from 31^st March 2015;

(2)  that the Beckenham public toilet be declared surplus and offered to the market, on the basis that if offers are not forthcoming the public toilet should be demolished; and

(3)  that the expansion of the Community Toilet Scheme be authorised as the alternative provision set out at paragraph 3.7 of Report ES14094.