Council yet to spend a penny on facilities
Delays a big inconvenience in town
CAUGHT-SHORT shoppers are still unable to spend a penny in Earl Shilton town centre despite funds to provide new facilities.
The delay on new lavatories is perturbing local councillor Janice Richards, who has been a leading light in campaigning to bring back public conveniences.
Her persistence in restoring a privy paid off earlier this year when Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council chiefs said money would be made available.
The last public toilets in the town were shut down in 2009.
However, it appears the search for a suitable site is proving a stumbling block and the town council are still to decide whether to absorb ongoing maintenance costs.
Barwell took over the upkeep of its public conveniences last year at a cost of around £9,000 a year.
Councillor Richards (Con, Earl Shilton) said: “People can’t keep going up entries and down by the canal, I think it’s disgusting.
I’m pressing the town council because these toilets are needed for people desperately.
“I have been stopped by people asking what is going on with the toilets. I just don’t want it to fall through and I don’t want people thinking I have said the town is getting toilets and it’s not happening.”
Although the money to provide a toilet building is coming from the borough it will be up to Earl Shilton Town Council to look after the premises.
Costs are being researched by the authority as well as the availability of suitable sites and whether the unit will be stand alone or attached to or within an existing outlet.
Mark Jackson, town clerk, said they were waiting for information to come back to them regarding revenue costs going forward and discussions were taking place about the right location, with a local business contacted.
If maintenance of the WCs is accepted by the town council it could mean savings having to be made elsewhere or a rise in the town council’s portion of the council tax precept.
Earl Shilton’s toilets were removed in 2009. Users complained about their poor quality, vandalism and lack of maintenance.
When reviewed it was found the prefabricated structure was past its sell-by date and not compliant with modern access codes.
Patronage had also slipped, with figures for maintenance fees per use suggesting someone spending a penny actually cost the council £26.26 in 2007/08. It was considered too financially prohibitive to replace the facility.
A petition of summer 2014 led to a change in attitude and a working party was set up to look into providing new privies.