Issue - meetings

Town Centre Public Convenience Provision

Meeting: 17/07/2018 - Communities, Housing and Environment Committee (Item 37)

37 Town Centre Public Convenience Provision pdf icon PDF 3 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of Mrs Shepherd which related to town centre public convenience provision.

 

It was noted that the Committee received an update report earlier in the year on the toilet community scheme and it was recommended that fully costed options be brought back to enable an informed decision on the provision of town centre public conveniences.

 

The Committee noted that there was some key considerations which needed to be taken into account when designing a new Town Centre public convenience, which were:-

 

Location – the location needed to consider footfall, impact on local businesses, utilities, visual appearance and security.

Usage – the likely usage would impact on the size of the facility needed, the cleaning and maintenance regime.

Cost – the split between capital and revenue costs for providing the facility needed to be considered.

 

Mrs Shepherd detailed the various options available and the likely costs. 

 

In response to questions from Members, Mr John Edwards, the Street Scene Operations Manager advised that:-

 

·  the public conveniences in the Market Buildings were in a very bad state and it would take a lot of investment to get them open again.

·  to put in a public convenience facility in Palace Avenue would create a loss of income for the car park and would incur additional resources to maintain the facility. 

 

Members made the following comments:-

 

·  That the costs were prohibitive and should not be progressed.

·  That the Council should wait and see what happened with the developments at Maidstone East, the Mall and the Bus Station.

·  That the Community Toilet Scheme should be continued and Officers should try to get more businesses on board.

·  That it seemed a lot of money for a facility to be built and then vandalised.

·  That the Council spent millions on the granite all the way through the town centre to improve the environment so there should be toilet facilities to help boost the town centre.

·  That a changing places facility was still needed in the town. 

 

RESOLVED:  That the Committee agree to deliver and improve the Community Toilet Scheme and in future consider the possibility of public conveniences in any further town centre development. 

Voting:  For: 7  Against:  0  Abstentions:  1

 

Councillor Mrs Ring left the meeting at 8.30 p.m. at the conclusion of this item.