Campaigners in Peasedown St John are celebrating after a plan to close public lavatories across the area were put on hold at a Council meeting last week.
Bath and North East Somerset Council has been forced to think again after protestor Lin Patterson, from Bath, camped out in public toilets in Twerton for three nights to highlight her concerns over the closure plan. Her demonstration received the backing of more than 2,500 residents who signed her petition.
Peasedown councillor Nathan Hartley supported Lin’s efforts. He said: “Lin is an inspiration to so many. I recently spent a month travelling around India – despite the extreme heat and conditions of poverty every few days I’d take time out to find an internet cafe to see how Lin’s campaign was going. She is an inspiration to me.”
Cllr Hartley has led the campaign against the closure of the toilets in his village, and spoken out publicly against his Liberal Democrat Party leadership over the proposals. He says the process hasn’t been fair.
“All councils have to make difficult decisions about spending plans, but I was given assurances by the Cabinet that we’d have 12 months to find an alternative. This promise was broken when I received an email during the summer giving me just a few weeks. Environmental Services didn’t carry out any public consultation or look into alternative ways of providing such provisions in our community.”
Peasedown’s public toilets in Greenlands Road Car Park closed on 1st August, with there being no alternative provision in place.
Thankfully though, following an amendment by the Opposition, it was agreed by all councillors that in areas where no alternative provision could be found then the existing toilets could remain open.
Nathan added: “I’m grateful to the Conservatives for their intervention and support. But for me this has never been about party politics – it has been about Peasedown.
“My priority has been, and always will be, the needs of my constituents. They elect me to stand up for them and fight their corner. I have a duty to put them first.”
In 2012, Bath and North East Somerset Council spent £8,000 on refurbishing the toilets after a request was received from Cllr Nathan Hartley by the Property Services team.
Peasedown St John Parish Council voted at their meeting in June against the closure plan, and in favour of B&NES Council retaining the current provision.
Nathan concluded: “With there being no alternative provision, I’m looking forward to seeing our public lavatories re-opened very soon.”