Issue - items at meetings - Report of the Scrutiny Panel on Publicly Accessible Toilets

Introduction by Councillor Amy Kennedy Chair of the Scrutiny Panel.

4.1 The Chair of the Scrutiny Panel on Publicly Accessible Toilets Councillor Amy Kennedy introduced the Panel’s report.

4.2 On behalf of the Panel Councillor Kennedy expressed her particular thanks to all those taking part and giving evidence. The Panel found that the service was provided by different council teams, so the knowledge and experience of Jenny Cooke of CityClean who had worked and managed the service for many years had been invaluable.

4.3 Councillor Kennedy thanked her fellow Panel Members, Councillors Denise Cobb and Alan Robins plus John Eyles, Older Peoples’ Council co-optee. Recommendations were set out in section 3 of the report and OSC was asked to endorse the report.

4.4 A member of the public who had posed as a ‘mystery shopper,’ tourist at Brighton and Hove Town Halls told the meeting he was disappointed that a list of publicly accessible toilets was not easy to find. It was agreed that an additional sentence would be added to the report.

4.5 OSC Members discussed issues including the Late Night Levy, disposal of sites, Changing Places provision, assessing the costs of the service, the possible use of s106 planning obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy plus the council’s power, rather than its duty, to provide toilets.

4.6 Councillor Kennedy said the Panel were all agreed there should be more, not fewer, publicly accessible toilets. The Panel had noted the various council teams and external organisations that provided the service. An Action Plan as recommended would be more coherent and would involve a business plan for toilets directly owned by the council.

4.7 OSC Members were pleased with the clear layout of the report and thanked the scrutiny officer Karen Amsden for her brilliant work.         

4.8 Resolved; Subject to the addition of a sentence (minute 4.4 refers) that OSC endorse the report and recommendations and refer it for consideration to the relevant decision-making bodies.