Public toilets going down the pan

by Lisa Reeves

Friday 26^th April 2013

Fri 26^th Apr 2013

Cheshire East Council has confirmed that they intend to close the public toilets located in the car park by Sainsbury's.

CEC were looking to transfer responsibility for the toilet block at South Drive to Wilmslow Town Council, however they have declined to run the facility. Therefore, CEC are proposing to close these toilets on June 3rd.

Councillor David Topping, Cabinet member in charge of the environment, said "Cheshire East Council is committed to empowering communities and providing opportunities for the local delivery of services. As you may be aware, this has included proposals to transfer certain facilities and assets into the direct ownership and control of Town and Parish Councils.

"As the provision of Public Conveniences is a discretionary and localised service, they have been part of a range of services offered to Town and Parish Councils. Active discussions have been ongoing to facilitate this with some Town and Parish Councils choosing to undertake their operation whilst others have declined."

As reported in September, Wilmslow Town Council agreed that they are not prepared to accept responsibility for the management of the public toilets in the town.

The annual cost for cleaning, security and the repair of the public toilets was estimated to be a minimum of £10,000 a year, which the Town Council felt was unwarranted given the availability of alternative toilets in the town centre and the fact they are underused.

No funds or maintenance costs would come with the transfer of this non-statutory service so the cost would need to covered by the precept, which is the part of your council tax charged by Wilmslow Town Council.

What do you think about the closure of the town's public toilets? Are they underused or should they be kept open at a cost of around £10,000 per year to taxpayers? Share your views via the comment box below.

Tags:: Cheshire East Council, Public Toilets, Wilmslow Town Council

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Rehana Hindle

Friday 26^th April 2013 at 5:45 pm

If not in frequent use then close them and use some of the monies to pay for keeping our wilmslow streets, & paths litter free for the residential areas close to the town centre.
We need regular cleaning not one off spring cleaning. Perhaps there should be toilets for the disabled at the library

David Lewis

Friday 26^th April 2013 at 11:10 pm

We were promised wonders with the New Unitary Authority. And what has happened? It is costing residents more and services are nothing like as good as they were with Macclesfield Borough Council and Cheshire County Council. The roads are a disgrace, the streetlights are being turned off it will be like living in a third world country soon.

Steven Cunliffe

Monday 29^th April 2013 at 9:17 am

The unfortunate tax payers of Wilmslow now have to pay council tax for both East Cheshire and Wilmslow town councils. We are paying out more money, and yet face getting fewer services. If the toilets are closed can we look forward to a reduction in council tax?
I

Tuesday 30^th April 2013 at 7:56 pm

The issue here is that Cheshire East Council is bloated, ineffective and completely out of touch with the people who pay their wages and pensions. Removing these amenities further demonstrates the mess that they have got themselves into. The services that they provide are in free fall – aside from the potholes many of our side roads are shot and un-swept, town centre weed control has all but disappeared and our refuse and recycling services are third world, the black bins being infested with maggots during the summer months due to the fortnightly bin collections. I have 3 children, I take them to Wilmslow Library regularly yet when they inevitably need the toilet, it’s what kids do, where am now to take them?