Disadvantages of the CTS
64. While Community Toilet Schemes offer an alternative
approach to the provision of public toilets, there are problems
connected with them. The CTS toilets are not suitable for large
numbers of visitors needing the toilet at the same time. As Peter
Hampson asked, "…why would a restaurant put up with
50 people getting off a coach and ploughing into their cafe with
no return on business?"[114]
During our visit, we heard that the CTS scheme is supplemented
by hiring in blocks of temporary toilets when there is a large
influx of people to Twickenham for rugby matches.
65. Peter Hampson also made the point that the
facilities will be open only when the business is open; this means
10am until midnight in some pubs, but means far shorter opening
hours in other establishments.[115]
However, taking the number of outlets as a whole, Community Toilet
Schemes potentially offer much longer open hours than provided
by traditional public toilets.
66. The terms and conditions of the Community
Toilet Scheme in the borough of Richmond state that: "The
Service Provider/Proprietor retains the right in exceptional circumstances
to refuse a member of the general public admission to their premises
and/or use of their toilet facilities."[116]
This means that the toilets are not public in the same sense
that municipal toilets are public; the scheme's toilets are open
to the public, provided that the service provider is prepared
to accept them.
67. This highlights the need to have local authority-run
public toilets to supplement the CTS. The borough of Richmond
has five public toilets, including those situated in civic buildings,
parks, libraries and cemeteries, but this year it will review
their continued existence: "There are significant costs associated
with the refurbishment of the 5 remaining traditional 'highways'
public toilets as well as ongoing inappropriate behaviour issues
and dwindling use."[117]
68. The visit to Richmond highlighted the cost
and the time needed to administer the Community Toilet Scheme.
Richmond has a dedicated member of staff who organises and oversees
the scheme. Richard Chisnell made this point:
Our concern is that the Richmond scheme is unique
in that someone has been dedicated to developing it over the last
two or three years. Businesses come and go. There is a cost
to every council who introduces a community toilet scheme, not
only in possible remuneration to the participants through a subsidy
towards consumable or cleaning costs but also in managing it and
ensuring that the toilets are up to standard.[118]
69. Pamela Holmes made the case against Community
Toilet Schemes on behalf of older people:
It is certainly a way forward in terms of the menu
of options that a local authority can provide, but our evidence
from older people is that they do not always feel comfortable
going into bars and restaurants, particularly as the day progresses
and it gets towards evening. They would rather be anonymous and
not be seen to be there having to go to the toilet…[the CTS]
is an option which should be available but that should not detract
from the commitment by local authorities to provide facilities
that old people can use at any time.[119]
Concern about the scheme has also been raised on
behalf of those women, families with young children and people
from ethnic and religious minorities who do not like going into
pubs.[120] A list of
the participating businesses in Richmond showed that a significant
proportion of business participants are pubs and we raised concerns
- both on the visit and in our second oral evidence session -
about the willingness of some groups of people to go into pubs.[121]
70. Our visit also highlighted the need for good
signage and raised the question of how visitors are made aware
of the scheme. Richmond has signs in the window of each participating
business, which say that the business is part of the Community
Toilet Scheme, but it was evident from our trip that some residents
themselves did not know about or understand the scheme. Eve Risbridger,
Head of Street Scene at Richmond Borough Council, accepted that
the current window stickers were too subtle and the borough is
currently redesigning the logo to make it clearer.[122]
Richard Chisnell highlighted the point that the CTS needs to
be managed "from the point of view of the providers, the
commercial partners, as well as of the users, and communication
to users is vitally important to ensure that their feelings, their
reservations, are managed to best effect so they can be overcome."[123]
71. The more local authorities take up this scheme,
the more evident will be disparities between and even within local
authority provision. Not every pub or café within the
Richmond borough council area has entered into the scheme and
it is confusing for residents, visitors and tourists to know which
local authority has taken up the scheme and which outlet within
each local authority has taken up the scheme. We hope that, as
more local authorities see the benefits, more will embrace the
scheme and make it one option among many.
72. We support the Community
Toilet Scheme (CTS) initiatives in local authorities, although
they are not appropriate everywhere and may provide only a partial
solution to the adequate provision of public toilets; the CTS
alone cannot cover the needs of every local member of the community.
We commend those authorities that have extended their provision
of public toilets in this way, but we recommend that such schemes
must be supplemented by other types of toilet provision. Local
authorities need to be aware of some groups who might feel uncomfortable
going into a pub to go to the toilet. The scheme must cover a
variety of outlets to ensure that toilet facilities are available
for a wide range of users, over a substantial part of the day
and night.
73. The signage in CTS schemes
need to be extremely clear and welcoming to the public. When
local authorities start such a scheme, the initiative should be
heavily publicised in the local media; local authorities need
to advertise the scheme - as one among other types of public toilet
facilities - to local residents, as well as to visitors and tourists.
Stating "Community Toilet Scheme" on a window is not
enough information to tell the public that those premises' toilets
are open to the general public.
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