The future of public toilets in Larkhall and Weston village in Bath has been thrown into further confusion by the Council.
At a meeting of the authority’s Liberal Democrat Cabinet on Wednesday, in answer to a question from Conservative councillors, it was confirmed that the toilets in Weston would remain open ‘until a replacement has been agreed’, but that the Larkhall toilets were still earmarked for closure from next April.
Adding further to the uncertainty, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods did not confirm that the Weston toilets would stay open ‘permanently’ unless a suitable alternative is found.
The news has led to accusations of confusion and double-standards by the Liberal Democrat Cabinet, with Conservative councillors calling on the Council to clarify the future of the toilets for residents.
Councillor Geoff Ward, Conservative Shadow Neighbourhoods spokesman, said: “This whole thing has been completely mishandled by B&NES right from the start. First the toilets were going to be closed from 2014, then not until replacements were found, then the closures were brought forward to this August. Now some will close in August, some in April, and some we simply don’t know the future of. It’s a complete fiasco.
“It’s hard to understand why the Council can be definitive about the closure dates of some toilets but not others. This confusion is unfair on residents, who deserve to be given clarity over the future of their public amenities.”
In a statement on the matter, Councillor Dave Dixon, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “At the budget Council meeting in February, Cllr Malcolm Lees successfully got an amendment passed which requested Cabinet to keep the Weston loo open until an alternative has been agreed.
“We couldn’t agree on one by 1st August and Cllr Lees quite properly reminded us of this request. We needn’t have honoured that request however in the spirit of that option, and quite frankly because Malcolm is quietly persuasive, I agreed to keep it open until such time we highlight an alternative.”
2 Comments
Carol
Tuesday 23rd July, 2013 at 07:47Just read this. I have to agree that the toilets in Weston High Street are not used much at all, there is no need for them (they are horrible to use too, I wouldn’t use them nor would I let my children use them). They cost quite a bit to keep open, so I do not understand why there is a debate.
Dave
Monday 22nd July, 2013 at 19:49The public toilets are a complete waste of local council money. Let’s use common sense and just close them. There is no money to waste when local budgets are being cut. They are not used often and cost a great deal to keep open. It is ridiculous that there is any debate. I am an OAP and shop locally in Weston and I would rather walk 10 minutes to my house than use the public toilets – that has always been my suitable alternative. I would rather use the toilets in the two local pubs than the public ones. They should have been closed years ago.