Town could be left without any public loos
PORTISHEAD could be left without public toilets in a few weeks unless a deal is struck between the town and district council about who is to run them.
North Somerset Council is to withdraw the £400,000 it costs to run all of the 29 public toilets across the district, including the ones at Wyndham Way and the Lake Grounds, from April 1.
But a deal has yet to be struck between the town council and North Somerset about who will run the conveniences.
And unless the situation is resolved in the next six weeks, both the loos will close – leaving Portishead, which has a population of around 22,000 people, without any public conveniences.
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Other town and parish councils have already agreed to take over the running of loos in their areas.
But councillors in Portishead say both sets of conveniences are in such a poor state of repair that work needs to be done to bring them up to an acceptable standard.
North Somerset Council has cash available to help town and parish councils take over assets such as toilets which could be used to upgrade the conveniences.
But the town council would have to agree to take ownership of the loos before the cash would be available to carry out the work.
If a takeover deal is struck the town council could then lease the running of the toilets to a concessionaire or operate them itself.
A concessionaire has already come forward willing to take over a number of loos in North Somerset, but has said it would introduce charging to help cover the running costs of the conveniences.
Now town leaders are asking North Somerset to cut through the red tape and carry out the work itself ahead of any takeover being agreed.
Councillor David Pasley said: "If the money is going to be made available to the town council to upgrade the toilets I do not see why North Somerset just don't appoint a contractor and get the work done.
"It just seems like needless red tape. Funding runs out on April 1 and we have six weeks to come to some sort of agreement with North Somerset.
"If we don't there is a risk that Portishead could be left without public toilets."
The move comes at the same time as Portishead Senior Citizens Forum called on the town council to ensure public loos remained in the town.
North Somerset Council spokesman Nick Yates said: "We do welcome Portishead Town Council's willingness to consider taking on these toilets and agree that it is reasonable to expect these facilities to be brought up to a good standard as part of the transfer.
"We have a specific funding scheme called the community investment fund and have been encouraging town and parish councils to make bids to cover the cost of repairs identified in condition surveys we've carried out. We want to stress that there is room for negotiation and we are flexible about whether repairs are done pre or post transfer."
7 Comments
by Hillcran
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 9:19AM
“How very ironic that inside this months FREE 'Life' magazine, Cllr Ashton is having a little whinge about the anonyomous people who dispprove of what a waste of money it is. If the local media outlets would actually report the truth to people he would soon find out how many think it is a waste of money. He actually implies that it is useful for those who find it useful. Yes Mr ashton, so were public conveniences. I would like to ask though, that when my duaghter and grandchildren come to visit and find there are no toilets at the Lake Grounds will the £60 spoot fine for urinating in apublic place be paid for by the council. By the way, I have been banned by the portishead people site from commenting because I have dared to question the unfactual comments that councllors constantly feed the media.”
by bokkbokk
Monday, March 04 2013, 10:52PM
“These cut backs are beginning to take the pee.”
by katachua
Monday, March 04 2013, 5:20PM
“@Lone_Ranger
""Why can't the councils do what they do in Italy and charge 50p or a quid for the public conveniences?"
Surely the Italians would be better off charging Euros?"
Of course they do, moron! Wouldn't make much sense here though, would it?”
by Lone_Ranger
Monday, March 04 2013, 12:01PM
“"Why can't the councils do what they do in Italy and charge 50p or a quid for the public conveniences?"
Surely the Italians would be better off charging Euros?”
by PortisheadAH1
Monday, March 04 2013, 11:36AM
“This latest Post report does not tell the full story but why I am not surprised by that. Formal Minutes confirm that Portishead Town Council deputy Chairman felt on the 30th January, 2013, that the town council "should not take on any liability for either set of toilets and stated that there are plenty of places where the public can use a toilet in the Town Centre". Now I wonder if that incudes the council offices?
Cllr Camerson asked "Do the public need toilets?". Perhaps a little more than they need a town council.
Then our current Chairman is recorded as saying he "sees no reason why the Town Council should get involved with the Lake Ground toilets" although "The Wyndham Way toilets need to be protected to encourage people to visit the town centre".
So we have a Chairman and Deputy Chairman in disagreement.
But the contents of the Report to Council on Portishead Toilets submitted with council papers on the 13th February have been omitted from this Post Report. The report refers to the possibility of contractors taking on the toilets. It explains the leasehold and freehold situation of the Lake Grounds site and Wyndham Way. It even mentions the name of the group who may take over the concession of one or both Portishead toilets. David Pasley knows this information. Using a contractor is not his idea at all - it is being discussed at many levels already. Money is available via the Community Investment Fund to carry out existing maintenance issues either pre or post transfer.
At a meeting held at Castlewood in January, all options were considered including the Lake Grounds being included by the district council as part of a larger sea front concesssion. I just wish the Post reporter would read the documents issued instead of just obtaining quotes from the same councillor all the time i.e. David Pasley. Why not Cllr Knight and Mr Terry, who actually attended the Castlewood meeting?
(My Comment Red Arrowed Personally)”
by katachua
Monday, March 04 2013, 10:45AM
“Fine. I shan't visit Portishead.
Why can't the councils do what they do in Italy and charge 50p or a quid for the public conveniences? I'd rather not have to pay, but I'd rather pay than go without, so to speak.”
by Hillcran
Monday, March 04 2013, 8:49AM
“At least the town will never run out of toilet paper whilst we keep having the 'Life' magazine pushed throiugh our door every month. The £250,000 wasted on that by North Somerset every year could be keeping plenty of public conveniencesopen. The price of vanity over public need seems to be growing.”