Nowhere to go as toilets across island are closed
Facilities are boarded up, padlocked and up for sale
The majority of public toilets on Arran were today (Friday) being boarded up ahead of their sale or demolition. The signs have been taken down and the doors padlocked, leaving visitors with nowhere to go.
But a furious row has erupted after it emerged that North Ayrshire Council is to keep public toilets in Ardrossan and Saltcoats open at a cost of £35,000. That is the same amount which would have kept all nine of Arran’s toilets open to the public. Instead all but four will shut today and are in the process of being boarded up and having For Sale signs slapped on them.
The decision has sparked anger both on and off the island as Arran gears up for what is likely to be its busiest summer season.
The closures will leave Lochranza, Arran’s second ferry port, Lamlash and Blackwaterfoot without any toilet provision and only limited provision in Brodick, with the main public toilet block shut, at Brodick Hall, when it is open. Rundown North Sannox has also been shut.
The only facilities will be at Kilmory, Whiting Bay, Sandbraes and Glen Sannox if a deal can be finalised for them to be run by community groups.
However, it is the cloakand-dagger deal thrashed out more than a year ago to save three toilets on the mainland which has sparked renewed anger.
As is widely known, North Ayrshire Council took the decision in February 2016 to close public toilets
across the board but the implementation was delayed until April 1, 2017, to give officers time to work with community groups to secure Community Asset Transfers where possible, saving £125,000.
However, an amendment was put forward last year by Independent Councillor John Hunter, who represents both Ardrossan and Arran, to retain the public toilets in Saltcoats at Melbourne Gardens and The Braes and Ardrossan South Beach at a cost of £35,000.
He argued the costs could be met by not progressing webcasting of council meetings and from reductions to council catering for members and officers, and at events. And his amendment was carried.
Now Arran Community Council wants to know why a similar ‘deal’ could not have been struck for the Arran toilets.
And it has written to Councillor Hunter asking for answers.
The letter asked: ‘We are very interested to know what justification was presented to divert £35,000 of potential savings to ensure the retention of the toilets at Ardrossan and Saltcoats.
‘We are also interested to know what the financial justification for this decision was and how the ar- gument to retain these two locations differed from Arran or any other location in North Ayrshire.’
In his reply, Councillor Hunter said there had never been any intention to discriminate against Arran.
He said at the time there was no community council in Ardrossan and Saltcoats to fight for the toilets and said there was no provision the length of the promenade since the only hotel, the Lauriston, refused to participate in a public access scheme.
He told The Banner: ‘I don’t want to see any area without toilets and I voted against the budget this year.’
The Banner understands funding for the three toilets was renewed this year but was still awaiting clarification as it went to print.
A North Ayrshire Coun- cil spokesman said: ‘Positive discussions are ongoing with representatives of the community council and local community associations on Arran with the view to them taking ownership of public toilets at Kilmory, Whiting Bay, Sandbraes and Glen Sannox.
‘We are committed to ensuring that the public toilets are brought up to a good working order before they are transferred to local community associations and have invested money to ensure this is the case.
‘We will also help the groups explore opportunities for grant funding as they assume responsibility for the facilities.
‘In addition, we will also be investing in upgraded facilities at Brodick Hall to ensure public toilet access is retained in the village.’