PAPER D

Committee :    ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT SELECT COMMITTEE

Date :              26 SEPTEMBER 2002

Title :              PUBLIC CONVENIENCES TASK GROUP - PROGRESS REPORT

REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TASK GROUP AND THE LEAD OFFICER

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

Following the Environment and Transport Select Committee away day on 1 August 2001, Members agreed to set up a task group to consider and explore options for the future provision of public conveniences across the whole Island. The Select Committee last received an update report from the task group in March. The Committee is invited to consider the progress of work since then and support the recommendations set out in this report.

BACKGROUND

Members have previously agreed to the need to rationalise the provision of public conveniences. To begin the process, the task group focussed in areas where there is clearly:

1.        Duplication of facilities by geographical proximity;

2.        where toilets could be offered to town/parish councils or other authorised bodies.

3.        where it can be demonstrated that facilities are under utilised;

4.        where conveniences are beyond economic upgrading or repair;

5.        where there are specific concerns. eg East Cowes Esplanade.

Legal services have confirmed that the IW Council is only able to transfer the provision of public conveniences to an ‘ authorised body’. By definition, this means that they hold legal status and are able to enter into contracts. It is our current understanding that Community Fora do not have a legal status and as such could not be considered for the transfer of services.

Additionally and importantly, the Councils requirements under the Health And Safety regulations have been developed over a number of years and would need to be safeguarded in any future deregulation of service provision. There would be a requirement for the Council to maintain an inspectorate roll similar to that provided for other externalised contracts.

The future operation of a number of public conveniences are under consideration by the task group and are at varying levels of negotiation with town/parish councils. Responses so far have been mixed but it is a common thread, that any interest in acquiring future responsibility for the provision of services is linked in with financial support from the IW Council. This has led the task group to consider the use of a sliding scale whereby a diminishing annual grant is provided over an agreed period, typically three to five years, after which time the town/parish council would enter a lease agreement with the IWC for the provision of services to an agreed specification and level. This will require careful negotiation to ensure the Council’s interests are protected by suitable leases and periods of notice. In all cases the elected member for the ward affected has been consulted.

As an example of collaborative working, members of the task group are currently negotiating with East Cowes Town Council over the future of East Cowes Esplanade Public conveniences. These are currently closed because of drainage failure. It is hoped that by offering the Town Council the opportunity to share in the cost of repairs, together with their agreement to future service delivery, these toilets can be brought back into use and permanent closure of the under utilised Prince of Wales public conveniences can be negotiated.

Agreement has been reached with Shanklin Town Council concerning the closure of the public conveniences at Shanklin Theatre due to their poor condition and the proximity of alternative facilities in Chine Avenue. These conveniences are an integral part of the theatre building and will not realise a capital receipt but could be separately leased to either the theatre or a third party. Agreement has also been reached concerning the transfer of Ryde Canoe Lake facilities to Wight Leisure and Ventnor Botanic Gardens conveniences to Education and Community Development. In all cases, final details are to be agreed before implementation.

Where town/parish councils have indicated no desire to provide the service, or where they subsequently fail to negotiate or renegotiate a lease or other agreement, and, it can be demonstrated that utilisation is at a low level, members may wish to consider permanent closure of the facility either now or in the future.

In order to ascertain the current utilisation of a number of public conveniences it is proposed to use a generic calculation, based on known water consumption, type of equipment, numbers of closets, urinals, basins, automatic dispensers, and hours of operation. The calculation will be compared with the mean average for a selection of conveniences across the Island and will inform all future decisions.

This calculation method will be tested against actual data from counting equipment recently installed in a typical public convenience.

Members of the task group are currently considering whether there is any benefit in assigning some public conveniences to ‘peak summer opening’ only. Effectively this would involve some beachside conveniences only opening for the summer rush of visitors between for example mid July to mid September. This may have implication for the seaside award scheme, which requires a specific level of facilities. The revenue cost savings in cleaning, water, electricity etc are yet to be assessed but may be able to make a useful contribution to the rationalisation programme.

Any transfer of service, closure or limited opening could impact on current and future contracts and in particular the cleansing contract. The current cleansing contract expires in November 2003, but there is provision to extend this by up to a year.

If public conveniences are permanently closed, members will need to decide what to do with the building. The capital value of a redundant public convenience will depend on its location and legal rights to surrounding areas and could be offered for sale by auction. however, it is thought unlikely that public conveniences within recreation grounds and open spaces could easily be offered for sale. It would be unwise to leave any redundant buildings empty and vulnerable to vandalism. Alternative uses for buildings such as paper file/record storage may be considered as a useful contribution to the Councils storage difficulties. If this were seen as a preferred disposal option, then all revenue running costs would transfer from the Environment and Transport Committee responsibilities.

OUTCOME OF CONSULTATIONS

•          Town/parish councils have and will continue to be consulted throughout the process

•          Local elected members will continue to be consulted and informed of negotiation progress.

•          Service managers have been consulted and kept informed of progress.

•          Officers will continue to consult and liaise with the Community Safety manager on issues of crime and disorder.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

•          Revenue cost savings

•          Potential capital receipts

•          Diminishing annual grant to town/parish councils

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

Legal services have advised the task group concerning legal responsibilities and definitions of authorised bodies. They will continue to advise in general terms as options are explored. It is imperative, given the complex nature of the possible agreements, that the legal department is given the opportunity to comment on any specific proposals and draft agreements.

OPTIONS

1.        That the task group continues negotiations with town and parish councils concerning the future provision of public conveniences.

2.        That the task group explore a process whereby if town and parish councils agree to take over future provision of public conveniences, a diminishing grant process is employed to ease the process of transfer.

3.        That the task group explore a process whereby if town and parish councils decline the transfer of provision, and where under utilisation can be proven by generic calculation, the facility should be permanently closed and either sold by auction or retained for storage purposes.

4.        That the task group consider peak summer opening for beachside conveniences in close proximity to other facilities, where beach award status would not be affected.

5.        That officers conclude negotiations with East Cowes Town Council concerning the repair of Esplanade and the permanent closure of the Prince of Wales conveniences.

6.        That the public conveniences at Shanklin Theatre are permanently closed and the building used for theatre storage or leased to a third party.

7.        That public conveniences are internally transferred as follows:

           ●          Ryde Canoe Lake to Wight Leisure

           ●          Ventnor Botanic Gardens to Education and Community Development

RECOMMENDATIONS

1.        That the Select Committee support the Task Group’s continued investigations into options 1, 2, 3 and 4.

2.        That, dependent upon the successful outcomes of negotiations, the Select Committee recommends options 5, 6 and 7 to the Executive.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

None.

Contact Point : Dick Sedgeley, ☎  823296