ALL of the public toilets to close?

Halfhidden

Administrator
Staff member
This has been copied with kind permission by [FONT=&quot]Jane Howells
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Town Councillor Dennis Axford has a very informative blogsite, and his latest post is about the extensive cuts that are planned for Cornwall Council funding for the public loos in Pz
"In Penzance the plan is to close EIGHT (8), yes you read that correctly, they plan to close 8 public toilets, this number is only matched by St Ives with 7, it makes you wonder what we have done to upset them.

As a comparison our capital Truro 4, the largest town in Cornwall St Austell 1, Camborne, Redruth And Pool 3 between them, Falmouth 1."
http://pz01.blogspot.com/2011/10/toilets.html
Several of these are along the Seafront.
The full list can be found on the Council doc here:
http://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=9732&T=9
and are:
Penzance Penalverne £12,241.94

Penzance Clarence Street (St Clare) £4,834.11

Penzance South Pier £13,944.40

Penzance Superloos £22,686.48 (Pz Station)

Penzance Newlyn fore street £6,838.85

Penzance Morrab Gardens £4,016.69

Penzance Wherry town £12,810.06
The Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee voted at their meeting yesterday to accept the recommendations to cut the funding for the public loos, including those in Penzance. This report will now go in front of Cabinet who will make the final decision.
http://cllrandrewwallis.blogspot.com/2011/10/recommendations-to-close-public-toilets.html

What's your thoughts on this?
 
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symons55

Moderator
Saw this earlier in the paper, all I have to say is I think it's bloody disgusting, people will be using the back streets and doorway etc just to relieve themselves!!! the town will stink (even more!!!)
 

Halfhidden

Administrator
Staff member
I did wonder about the legality of the closure. I'm guessing that these toilets were built because they were a legal requirement imposed on the council through some sort of public legislation... if so is that legislation still in place?
You might remember the toilets in Albert Street were closed down in 1989 but the council built a new block in the bus station to replace the Albert Street block. So that to me suggested that they had a requirement for a given amount of toilets that needed to be available to the public.

*********EDIT**********

Just found this document that is interesting reading but clearly spells out that there is no obligation to supply public toilets
The provisions of public toilets
 
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symons55

Moderator
I do think that there will be a health issue here, but Councils are a law unto themselves especially if they don't "have" to do anything.
 

sparky

Administrator
Umm a very difficult subject really as everyone needs to go at some point!, should they close? NO is my answer, purely because I don’t think there are enough of them in town in the first place. You may disagree with me on this one, but what about children, the elderly, holiday makers who visit this town year after year?, where are they going to go? Oh I know you are thinking there are plenty of Pubs/cafes/restaurants in town, they can use their facilities, even though the businesses pay higher rates taxes, water rates etc, I don’t think that they will be happy if they have all an sundry using their facilities especially when their PAYING customers cannot or may have to wait longer (as in there will be queues) or at least more than normal.

I personally don’t use the public toilets very often, (although when you gotta go you gotta go!) (no doubt I will use them much more frequently when I get much older too, if they are STILL HERE ) I know there is this saying “use them or lose them”, (or something along those lines!) but from what I can see the council are not giving us, the public, an alternative or a choice?

I say NO to the closure of ALL PUBLIC TOILETS.
 

46traveller

New Member
The best way to remind officials that every action has a consequence.

Sounds like a preamble to privatise the service and maybe sell off a couple of larger sites.

The traders in both Penzance and St Ives need to get together and inform the council that use of their private in house toilet facilities are not for the use of the general public.

Or better still get a few together, have a great Indian meal with a few pints of lager, and turn up at councilors homes and ask to use their toilet. That may well change the vote.
 
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