Seaton and Colyton public toilets remain at risk of closure unless alternative operators can be found

East Devon District Council's Overview Committee has put forward a number of recommendations on the future of public toilets after considering responses to a public consultation.

With a projected budget deficit of about £3million to 2024 and rising costs across many statutory services, East Devon District Council (EDDC) cannot continue to operate all 27 of its public toilets, so it has been investigating the locations and potential alternative uses for some sites.

The Harbour Road, Seaton Hole and Marsh Road toilets in Seaton remain at risk of closure, as well as the Dolphin Street toilets in Colyton, despite strong support expressed for most of them remaining open during a recent public consultation.

The consultation ran for two months through August and September, and asked residents to look at proposals that categorised toilets depending on the location and the walking distance to key areas such as a town centre, beach or large park and how well-used they are.

The Harbour Road and Seaton Hole facilities were placed in Category B, meaning the council will look at other options for the use of the sites, including marketing a lease opportunity for a different offer such as a café, to include a publicly accessible toilet, or sell the public toilets, depending on the options for each particular site.

The Dolphin Street toilets in Colyton and Marsh Road conveniences in Seaton were placed in Category C, which meant the council believes there was no commercial alternative that could provide an income and publicly accessible toilet at these sites.

Instead, it proposes that these sites be offered as a freehold transfer for a negligible/very low amount to the town or parish council or community group to operate.

The categorisation of the Harbour Road, Seaton Hole and Dolphin Street toilets in particular received strong opposition in the public consultation, but are still being taken forward.

During a meeting last week, EDDC's Overview Committee requested that town and parish councils are offered one final opportunity to retain Category B and C toilets if leases with community partner organisations cannot be struck within 12 months.

It was also recommended that the council write to all local businesses and make a powerful case for them to offer the use of their toilets to non-paying customers who may have disabilities and illnesses that aren't always visible, given the findings of the local consultation which shows the high extent of local need.

Councillors also recommended that they write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to request that he lobbies the treasury for a fund to be created to help councils further invest in public toilet provision and to make toilets a mandatory rather than discretionary service given their positive role in ensuring people with health issues can live their lives to their full potential.

Toilets listed in Category A – including West Walk toilets in Seaton, the Jubilee Gardens facilities in Beer, and West Street car park toilets in Axminster – will be refurbished to bring them up to modern standards. EDDC may also introduce charges to use these facilities in future.

The idea for 'pay-to-use' toilets was support by 56 per cent of respondents in the consultation – this would help pay for the running costs of the toilets and could help generate £200,000 a year.

Based on the opinions of residents in the consultation, this will probably be by contactless card, at possibly 30p, as cash is costly to collect and invites vandalism.

More than 40 per cent said a discount card should be available to people who can't afford to pay or those with medical needs.

The Overview Committee also recommended it establishes the principle of charging for Category A toilets, such charges to be made and calculated so as to cover the costs of their refurbishment and retention together with careful consideration of the choice of private partners and the option of using cash.

All of the committee recommendations will now go before Cabinet.