Council may charge to use public toilets

23 September 2020

A CHARGE could be introduced to use some public toilets across the district in a bid to reduce vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

The proposal is outlined in a draft strategy to overhaul public toilet provision across the district.

Around £1.2m has been earmarked for the overhaul of public toilets so locals and visitors can spend a penny in modern conveniences.

The new draft strategy also highlights the need to ensure that the needs of people with autism, dementia and other health conditions are accommodated at public toilets.

Confirmation that 12 weeks are to be set aside to provide ratepayers with an opportunity have their say on the strategy was confirmed at last night’s meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee.

Council chiefs aim to upgrade toilets following criticism about toilet provision across the district, especially in the Newcastle area and in some rural areas.

There have been consistent complaints about the poor state of public toilets and the opening hours in Newcastle in particular, with officials also planning to review how toilets are managed, cleaned and maintained.

Significantly, consideration is being given to including council facilities, public buildings and private business in the new strategy which would allow the public to use their toilets.

Members of the British Toilet Association (BTA) which works with local authorities to discuss standard of toilet provision, strategy and issues related to design, layout, product, service needs, security and maintenance have already visited the district’s 31 public toilets.

They have provided council officials with a document which provides a detailed overview of the current standard of each facility, with the new strategy going out to public consultation shortly.

Council officials previously set up a public toilet review working group to establish the new strategy to provide the best level of services to ratepayers and visitors.

Newcastle and Saintfield have previously been identified as priority areas for enhanced public conveniences with detailed condition surveys ordered of all existing toilets to determine whether the existing structures can be refurbished to an appropriate standard or whether a replacement toilet is required.

Council officials insist the new strategy will assist them in directing staff on how best to use the capital spend to significantly enhance existing public toilet provision across the council area.

Politicians say they recognise that a major capital programme is required to upgrade existing toilets and implement planned improvements, designed to ensure the facilities meet the needs of a wider range of people.

Also at last night’s council meeting, it was confirmed that more public toilets across the district are to reopen as part of the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Sixteen public toilet blocks across the district which were closed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic have already reopened, including those in Newcastle, Downpatrick and Ballyhornan.

At the start of next month, public toilets in Dundrum, Castlewellan, Ardglass and at the Lough Inch cemetery in Ballynahinch will reopen, but a toilet block at the Struell cemetery in Downpatrick is to remain closed after it sustained fire damage in a blaze several months ago.

Toilets which have recently reopened are subject to enhanced daily cleaning, especially those in tourist areas, with cleansing carried out by the local council’s permanent and seasonal staff.

Councillors were told last night that the latest reopening phase is part of the local authority’s phased recovery plan, with the enhanced cleaning schedule resulting in an additional spend of £10,000.

It was also confirmed at last night’s meeting that toilet blocks at Ballyhornan and at the Quoile in Downpatrick which are normally closed over the autumn and winter will remain open.

It was also confirmed last night that ratepayers are to be asked for their views on a council draft

strategy to overhaul of public toilet provision across the district to secure agreement on the way forward.

Plans to reopen public toilets in Ardglass have been welcomed by a local politician who lives in the village.

Cllr Dermot Curran said the decision to reopen the toilets at the harbour as part of the further easing of lockdown measures will be greeted by residents and visitors alike.

He said the reopening of the Ardglass toilets must be followed by a rigorous cleaning and maintenance regime as is currently in place in other areas.

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