Your chance to ‘have your say’ about the future provison of public toilets in South Lakeland.
See below the following information for thoughts on this subject from SLDT!
Talk Toilets public drop-in exhibitions will be taking place next week. They offer you the opportunity to view the exhibition materials, meet the team, ask any questions and complete a questionnaire. Exhibitions are taking place at:
· Grange-over-Sands, St Paul’s Parish Hall, Monday 1st March 2010, 3pm - 6.30pm
· Ambleside, Ambleside Parish Centre, Tuesday 2nd March 2010, 3pm - 6. 30pm
· Ulverston, Supper Room, Coronation Hall, Wednesday 3rd March 2010, 3pm - 7.30pm
· Bowness, Rayrigg Rooms, Friday 5th March 2010, 3pm - 7.30pm.
If you can’t make an exhibition, all of the materials and the questionnaire are available online at www.southlakeland.gov.uk/talktoilets. For a paper copy call 0845 230 0139 (local rate).
South Lakeland District Council have made it clear that they cannot sustain the present level of toilet proviosn thorugh the Council.
South Lakes Development Trust believe that:
- it is essential that the existing level of provision not only be maintained, but enhanced.
- that good toilets are an essential part of the facility mix required to meet visitor expectation in an economy so orientated towards tourism.
- that reduced provision could be viewed as discriminatory against our ageing population, many who may feel uncomfortable venturing out of their homes if toilets not widely accessible.
- that SLDC are not sufficiently commercially orientated to operate toilets in a manner that will help to financially sustain their onward delivery and enhancement.
- that the Council could work in partnership with an organisation like SLDT (not for profit with charitable registration) to ensure that the existing level of provision can be maintained and enhanced.
- if private companies can operate public toilets in our towns so can social enterprise – social enterprise returns ‘profit’ back into the community – not to shareholders!
- that a system of charging for use is essential, and that advertising and sponsorship revenue could be attracted to well maintained facilities.
- that the Council cannot expect to hold onto the higher profile toilets and sensibly seek alternative operators for the others – to sustain the existing level of provision a social enterprise would need to offset revenue received from higher volume toilets against the costs of maintaining less visited toilets.
- that, as a tourist area, we should be delivering and promoting the provision and accessibility of high quality toilets that meet visitor expectation.
- that enthusing commercial businesses by financial incentive to open their toilet doors to the public should be promoted to help extend, not replace, existing provision and that participating businesses should be assisted in recognising how the opportunity can deliver incremental business through footfall development.
Please let us know if you agree with our thoughts and, if you do, let the SLDC consultants know as well.