*HC39
Members were
presented with a report that requested consideration of the options
for implementing the decision of the Hub Committee in July 2018
(Minute *HC 19 refers) to approve and deliver efficiencies of
£50,000 (or more) in 2019/20 in operating the current public
toilet service.
The Lead Member for
Commercial Services presented the report. During discussion, Members expressed concerns over
some parishes being unable to take on the financial liability as
set out in the presented report, and smaller parishes within the
Dartmoor National Park area being disadvantaged as the public
conveniences were used by visitors and tourists rather than for the
benefit of residents. In response, the
Lead Member for Commercial Services advised that discussions would
take place with affected parish and town councils and a report
brought back to the Hub Committee at a later date.
In response to
concerns from the Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing about the
health and wellbeing implications of closure of public
conveniences, assurances were given that a full Comprehensive
Impact Assessment would be undertaken on any proposed public
convenience closures where that closure affected the overall
provision in an area and the appropriate Lead Member would be kept
informed.
In view of the
concerns over affordability for parishes, an amendment to the
presented recommendations was put forward as follows:
1.
ii. Make a contribution towards the cost of running
public toilets equivalent to 50% of all direct
costs
2.
that the 50% contribution be increased . .
. . .
The amendment was
PROPOSED, SECONDED and on being put to the vote
declared LOST.
It was then
RESOLVED that the Hub
Committee:
1. in respect
of the rural public toilets (listed in Appendix A), resolve that
Parish and Town Councils are requested to either:
i.
Assume responsibility for the public toilets in their area
including a transfer of the freehold or leasehold property;
or
ii. Make a
contribution towards the cost of running public toilets equivalent
to 75% of all direct costs (which includes staff and management
costs).
2. that the
75% contribution be increased over the following three years based
upon actual spend as per the payment profile shown in Appendix A, to reach a point where full costs
are covered by the Parish and Town Councils.
3. that where
a Parish or Town Council agrees neither to accept a transfer of the
facility nor make the requested contribution (as set out in
Recommendation 1 (i) and (ii)) it will
be recommended to Council that the facility will be closed before
the end of the financial year 2018/19.
4.
that where any facility will benefit
from pay on entry equipment in order to reduce overall costs, the
council will work with the relevant Town or Parish Council on a
business case and implementation programme to achieve best
value.
(NOTE: THESE DECISIONS, WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM
WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER 2018 UNLESS CALLED IN, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SCRUTINY PROCEDURE RULE 18).