With the review into public conveniences managed by East Cambridgeshire District Council gathering pace, residents are to be given the chance to have their say on one of the options.

 

The review has recently assessed the current state of the nine toilets in Ely, Littleport, Burwell and Fordham which currently cost over £200,000 a year and looked at how other areas are managing their toilets.

 

One of the ways many District Council's fund their public conveniences is through a nominal charge to fund improved facilities. 

 

The review team would like to test this option through a consultation with the public to see how they would feel about paying to use the toilets on the condition the money is reinvested to improve the facilities.

 

Members of the Commercial Services Committee will next week be asked to approve the outline of the consultation which will then take place later in the summer

 

Councillor Richard Hobbs, Chairman of Commercial Services Committee at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "We are progressing well with our review into the public conveniences which has involved assessing the investment required to keep the toilets as they are to how much it would cost to improve them to a higher standard. We have also spent a lot of time looking at what other authorities do - which we have uncovered is to charge a small amount which then goes to improve the facilities. This is an option which we think is worth testing with the public to see what they think.

 

"The toilets in the district currently cost over £200,000 a year to maintain so our review is looking at the best way to meet these costs and keep all of the facilities open. We hope lots of people will get involved in the consultation so we can gauge how they would feel about potentially having to pay to use the public conveniences in East Cambridgeshire. This is your chance to have your say and we really want to hear what you have to say."

 

For more information please call 01353 665555 or visit: www.eastcambs.gov.uk.