What Are We Coming To?

[ChrisB]

[ChrisB]

I really can't see why the policy used at Whitesands Bay, Keswick and Bakewell, to name three locations that I am familiar with, especially as many of the toilets have now been refurbished ie Charge. A simple lock and card reader system.

[marshman]

If any of the councillors had a  bowel disease or disorder, then they might think twice. But they just don't care that people HAVE to use them - but of course not themselves perhaps?

[Bikertov]

Without getting political, if they didn't squander so much on useless pet projects and woke rubbish, along with atrociously poor productivity and above inflation pay rises and gold plated pensions for themselves - that those of us in the private sector and running businesses can only dream of - they would not have to do things like close public toilets

Rant over, before I get too worked up.

[Smoggy]

Not so much "what are we coming to" but more "where are we going to go?". 

[grendel]

it seems as if they are short a penny or two, well its not going to stop people spending a penny, but if the toilets are closed, one has to question where that will be, against the wall, behind a hedge, the alternative to public conveniences doesnt bear thinking about.they are few and far between already, so reducing the numbers further is to put it mildly a big inconvenience- still for any pregnant women out there- there is always a policemans helmet (provided you can find one of those rare objects.)

[dom]

It's completely absurd to do this for the measly £46k saving. The worst part is that at least 3 of them are very well used by boaters. The sickening part is that the people making the decision are no doubt self righteous about caring for the disadvantaged, yet this will have the greatest effect on the elderly and infirm. Meanwhile, half of them are getting pension contributions which those in the private sector can only dream of.

[jeffbroadslover]

Simple answer:-

Reduce the number of "section heads" and "managers" per member of the workforce and a major saving will be made far in excess of the saving made by not supplying something which the public (also known as council cash suppliers) need.

I am quite sure that the public would rather see something for the benefit of the public rather than loads of new desks and 6 monthly replacement of high viz jackets etc. which are not needed.

Jeff 

[Andrewcook]

The Disabled won't be very happy on no loos along with the General public. Why can they go back to the Old days  of paying  to use the Toilets that would help 

[Bikertov]

My company shares a building with about 10 other tenants

We have the largest space of all the tenants, closely followed by a government funded local DWP office

When we had serious queries with the landlord over excessive Service Charges and billing errors going back over a number of years, the DWP office had Zero in interest in fighting the matter, as all the bills just went off somewhere to an external Facilities Management team and were paid without question or challenge.

So while we obtained a substantial rebate credit to our Service Charge, the DWP tenant got nothing back

The rebate would have covered the equivalent of a good chunk of the "savings" Dom mentioned above

That's what happens when you are spending "other peoples money" - ie ours, the Taxpayer.

Need I say more ...

 

[CeePee1952]

I'm surprised that they haven't included the one in Loddon! Oh wait a minute - that one most probably doesn't get used as much as the others so fits neatly into their criteria!! (I am being sarcastic here by the way!).

Chris

[Cheesey69]

The bureaucracy is expanding to service the bureaucracy     

[Smoggy]

28 minutes ago, CeePee1952 said:

I'm surprised that they haven't included the one in Loddon! Oh wait a minute - that one most probably doesn't get used as much as the others so fits neatly into their criteria!! (I am being sarcastic here by the way!).

Chris

I believe the loddon loos are parish Council funded, and are pay loos (20p).

[ChrisB]

1 hour ago, CeePee1952 said:

I'm surprised that they haven't included the one in Loddon! Oh wait a minute - that one most probably doesn't get used as much as the others so fits neatly into their criteria!! (I am being sarcastic here by the way!).

Chris

 

48 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

I believe the loddon loos are parish Council funded, and are pay loos (20p).

They are also in South Norfolk. The closures are in the administrative area of North Norfolk (NNDC).

[kpnut]

Although the article looks like it’s up to date, says ‘2hrs ago’ as when it was put online, the list of WCs likely to shut in winter include Ludham Bridge and Womack staithe. They already are shut in the winter, have been for at least four years, so maybe it’s a list that was done ages ago and it’s not really current news at all?

During covid, (in between lockdowns) when many WCs were locked, I came across numerous instances of unwelcome ‘deposits’ on my footpath travels (still do to a lesser extent). I’m sure that can’t be healthy or acceptable.

A public WC facility is a basic service that all councils provide for the good of all; their council tax payers as well as tourists. Same as rubbish disposal facilities. 
I drop my rubbish in a bin in Norfolk, someone from Norfolk uses a bin in East Yorkshire.

I pay council tax in East Yorkshire to benefit everyone in the county and those from elsewhere, even though I don’t access the council run leisure centre or the Bridlington Spa concert facility myself. It’s just how it works, or how it should work. 
I have no idea how efficient the county council is here (footpath cutting aside, and although they’re slow at that, they do at least respond to reports and check them out). One day I hope to find out how the money is spent by moving to the area 🙏

[kpnut]

Just seen it’s NNDC and not the county council. Same principles apply whichever council it is. 

[grendel]

just wondering at the cost to the council of clearing up after people who had no public loos to visit, that said one managers salary would cover the shortfall.

on a side note I have noticed that councils no longer clean / replace road signs, some are faded beyond recognition, others are just plain black with dirt, and where they clear vegetation in front of signs they now only clear about 10 feet, si if you happen to look left at just the right moment you might see the sign and have a chance to read it. but also notice how they are cracking down on speeding (because that generates revenue ) to catch all those people who didnt see the change in speed limit signs.

[CambridgeCabby]

Cambridge area has seen many public conveniences close over the last three or four years due to their budget and money saving measures .

In the evenings there are currently no accessible public toilets in the city center , there are a couple of facilities 1/2 mile walk which are coin accessed but these have been closed for improvements etc for a while now and no work has been started .

people have to use the facilities in bars and coffee shops , whilst not ideal at least it is an option .

As a winter boater I find it a shame that they are considering closing Ludham bridge and Womack facilities as we use these quite regularly out of season as do many others , but other sites such as Ranworth have closed the facilities out of season for a couple of years now 

[Roy]

It’s always the same council tax goes up and we get less for it.

it’s not just toilets that under threat library’s / rubbish/recycling centres closing to name a few at this rate there won’t be anything left to close. 
 

They closed the mayton too now everyone has to go to the airport one which has a long queue nearly every afternoon I’ve been by it ! 

[LizG]

I should add the public toilets by the Cam on Jesus Green in Cambridge are pretty grim especially on a May Bank Holiday weekend!!! Those toilets at Ludham Bridge imho are always clean and visitable

[Bikertov]

45 minutes ago, grendel said:

just wondering at the cost to the council of clearing up after people who had no public loos to visit, that said one managers salary would cover the shortfall.

Surely that is exactly the argument to keep council tips / recycling centres open and free ?

Allow people easy access to dispose of large items of rubbish, and you get less fly-tipping that costs literally 100 times more to get cleaned up

[kpnut]

42 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

As a winter boater I find it a shame that they are considering closing Ludham bridge and Womack facilities as we use these quite regularly out of season as do many others

Maybe it’s just weekdays the Ludham bridge and Womack ones are shut in the winter. I’ve certainly found them shut whenever I’ve been. 

[Ray]

8 hours ago, Bikertov said:

Without getting political,

Things have certainly gone downhill in recent years from top to bottom. It may take a long time to filter down but perhaps/maybe the country's recent overwhelming rejection of poor management may see things improve. It'll need a lot of patience 🤞

[Wussername]

22 minutes ago, kpnut said:

Maybe it’s just weekdays the Ludham bridge and Womack ones are shut in the winter. I’ve certainly found them shut whenever I’ve been. 

I thought that the Womack Staithe toilets were funded by the Trust that owns, manages, the staithe. Perhaps I am wrong.

I would like to say that Womack Staithe presents itself as a an example to that which can be achieved without interference from a dysfunctional body which defies credibility.

[ExSurveyor]

"Without getting political"

But,

Come on we all know the guidelines 😁

 

It is a very difficult line to tread for the mod team.

No discussion of anything political would be going too far, a free for all would potentially offend many.

I have always found the best topics to avoid is religion and Politics.

Discussion of what is happening and based on a news event, particularly one that affects the Norfolk broads is what we are about.

Please avoid blaming Labconlibrem political parties as you will offend as many as you appease and that is where discord starts. We can have a discussion about toilets closing without being  big P Political .