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Council’s public toilet scheme

The council will be paying businesses to open their toilets – so that you don’t have to spend a penny.

A pilot scheme will see participating shops, pubs, cafes and hotels offering facilities to members of the public, whether they are a customer or not.

In exchange, businesses would receive an annual payment from South Lanarkshire Council – of either £500, £750 or £1000 – depending on the level of facilities provided, the opening hours and the location.

Lanark was chosen to pilot the Public Convenience Comfort Scheme at a meeting of the Community and Enterprise Resources last week.

The report put before councillors stated: “The financial implications will be determined by the number of locations selected, but it is anticipated that the pilot would cost in the region of £10,000.

“This is based on the costs of promoting the scheme, making payment to the businesses and the production of business and local signage.

“Previously a number of facilities were funded and managed within Lanark (manned and automatic facilities) at a cost of £100,000 per annum.

“Funding has been identified in the current year’s budget for Community and Enterprise Resources which will allow the pilot to be progressed for one year.

“Any funding requirements beyond this will require to be considered within the revenue budget.”

Chairperson of the authority’s Community and Enterprise Resources Committee, Councillor John Anderson, said: “I hope businesses in Lanark take advantage of this opportunity, which we believe can be a solution to the lack of public convenience facilities.

“We will evaluate how successful the Lanark pilot is before considering similar schemes in other areas.

“I expect businesses would be able to generate extra income with the increased footfall.”

The pilot is hoped to be in place from April, and will run for one year, with an update provided to the committee in early 2020.