A COMMUNITY toilet initiative has been proposed by a North Yorkshire council over concerns about the low number of public conveniences.
Following the closure of Scarborough’s Square One, formerly known as the Brunswick Centre, residents have said they are increasingly frustrated by a lack of access to public toilets in the town centre.
A partnership scheme, which proposes local businesses making their bathroom facilities available for use by the general public, has been proposed by Scarborough Town Council.
Councillors say said that cafés, pubs, and retail premises could voluntarily make their toilet facilities available for public use during opening hours, in return for “modest financial support, signage, and inclusion in promotional materials”.
A report prepared for an upcoming full meeting of the authority states that “such schemes are widely used by town and parish councils to improve access to toilet provision, particularly where there is limited direct control over public conveniences”.
However, some residents have suggested that the town council should take over control of public toilets, and that North Yorkshire Council should consider allowing residents to use the bathrooms in the town hall.
If the initiative gets the green light at an upcoming meeting on Thursday, February 26, the town clerk will be tasked with exploring the feasibility, costs, and legal implications of establishing the scheme.
The town council would also engage with North Yorkshire Council for the necessary permissions or coordination and assess potential budget implications and funding options.
It would also gauge interest from local businesses and identify possible pilot locations.
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The BBC recently reported on a café owner in Scunthorpe, who said she was “sick to death” of receiving abuse from people because she only allows her customers to use the facilities.
She said that because there are too few public bathrooms in the town, people went into the cafe to use the loo.
If councillors give their support to the community toilet initiative at Thursday’s meeting, the town clerk will draft a report with a detailed proposal, including draft terms and conditions, risk considerations, and financial modelling.
Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting at Scarborough Town Hall on Thursday, February 26, at 2pm.
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