British Toilet Association: Archived News from the British Toilet Association 

Penny for your thoughts - toilet consultation launched

BTA completed a Consultation exercise for Bath & North East Somerset Council earlier this year relating to it’s public toilet provision. The Council has now launched - 'Penny for your thoughts ...'

Residents across the district are being asked for views about the future of public convenience provision in a consultation launched by Bath & North East Somerset Council. The consultation will concentrate on standards for provision across the district, including the quality, quantity, and distribution of public conveniences.

Councillor Charles Gerrish (Conservative, Keynsham North), Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said, “This is an opportunity for Bath & North East Somerset Council to take a fresh look at the most effective way to provide public conveniences. Given the squeeze on public sector finances the Council cannot open dozens of extra facilities.

“We must be innovative in working with the whole community providing the facilities that people want. For example, when developers construct property the Council could require money for public conveniences as part of a Section 106 planning agreement. We might also want to start a private sector Community or Partnership Toilet scheme where more pubs, restaurants and shops give public access to their toilets. This system works well elsewhere in the country.”

Some developers already incorporate public conveniences in their plans. Multi Development is building two sets of publicly available toilets in SouthGate at the Plaza and Railway Vaults. Amongst other issues, the Council wants people’s views on what facilities public conveniences should contain – like baby changing facilities, at what times of day they should operate, where any new facilities should be located, and how many facilities there should be.

Download the 'Penny for your thoughts ... ' consultation flyer in Adobe PDF format (25BK)

10 December 2009