Mixed-sex toilets in our schools – a real concern
MY congratulations to the South Wales Echo for publicising (Saturday, February 16) the very real concerns which are felt by so many pupils and their parents, following the growing provision of mixedsex toilets in Welsh schools; and the reduction in provision of separate toilets for girls.
In June 2018 the Department for Education published “Gender separation in mixed schools”. In the section titled “Negligible and exceptional separation”, paragraph 13 states clearly that: “Separate toilet and washing facilities must be provided for boys and girls aged 8 years and over pursuant to Regulation 4 of the School Premises (England) Regulations 2012, which falls within the exemption provided for in Schedule 22 of the Equality Act 2010.”
Of course, I know that Wales has a different regulation, The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999, and that LAs must ensure that maintained schools in Wales comply with those Regulations.
These set minimum standards for the premises of all existing and new schools maintained by an LA in Wales (that is, to community, community special, foundation, foundation special and voluntary schools).
The references to “washroom” provision are not worded very clearly and I am very surprised those who drafted this document did not refer simply to BS 6465 – part 1.
This is a code of practise which includes scales of provision for sanitary facilities in schools.
I am informed that The United Nations Report on The Human Right to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation states that gender-specific toilets should be provided, especially in schools, where privacy to deal with menstruation is a major factor in determining whether girls continue their education.
Also, the Unicef document on applying Sustainable Development Goals to sanitation specifies that separate school toilets should always be provided for girls (Unicef, 2016).
Although some people are of the opinion that there is no compulsory requirement for the UK to apply these commonsense “directives”, girls have the same basic issues, wherever they live.
I hope that the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Professor Sally Holland, will ensure that Wales sets the standard for the proper provision of single-sex toilets in all our schools.
I assume she is aware that Wales is leading the way in tackling the issue of public toilet provision, as there is a section in the admirable Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 which places a duty on each local authority in Wales to prepare and publish a local toilets strategy for its area.
A very great deal of hard work, research, etc went into producing the information sent out to all LAs in Wales to help them fulfil this legal requirement. Cardiff Council has produced an exemplary document for public consultation “Have Your Say on a Local Toilet Strategy”.
I urge all your readers to either complete the survey online at www. cardiff.gov.uk/haveyoursay or pick up a hard copy at their local library.
The consultation will be open until March 4, so do not leave it for too long to make your opinions known.
Susan Cunningham Roath, Cardiff Celebrating our Independence Day
IF all goes to plan, and democracy is upheld, as it should be, then we should make March 29, Independence Day UK.
We would be well rid of the Eurobullies who, I believe, have inflicted grave change on a nation which once was the leader in innovation and resourcefulness.
For those who voted remain at the EU referendum, we would welcome you back into our fold, for we can all make mistakes, and be misled by the Eurocarrot.
Just think of the future delights, the things that once were, like Bent Bananas, yes and to put the the cream topping on... they would be weighed in pounds and ounces... Yea!
Let us prepare ourselves for a EUfree UK, let us welcome freedom into our lives.
I’m Backing Britain, how about you?
Lyndon G Morgan
Gelli
I remember when we used to chat
A few weeks ago I visited a shopping mall restaurant area.
Whilst I was sat at a table some young women arrived at an adjacent table.
Having deposited their plastic cups of drink they all took out their smartphones and immediately became engrossed looking at the screens.
Not a word was spoken. Shortly after some young mothers arrived with their children they promptly pulled two tables together siting the children at one and they sat at the other.
Their well-behaved children must have been used to this procedure as they immediately began to interest themselves with items that they had brought with them.
The parents got out their smartphones and they also became engrossed looking at their phones. Again not a word was spoken . Initially I thought the situation was amusing but then realized that a few years ago these young people would have been socialising by chatting to each other.
Watching each others reaction to what is being said and expressing joy, disbelief, sadness and many other expressions that cannot be replicated by using a smartphone.
There is a more disturbing aspect of the use of smartphones.
I notice that the utilities are printing QR codes on their correspondence and asking their customers to scan the codes with their smartphones to access information which was previous printed.
How many more are using QR codes, are the Government departments going to follow?
That’s one way of boosting the sales of smartphones.
John Roberts Pontypridd
Massive tax rises and huge cuts
WITH council taxpayers in Caerphilly facing an eye-watering council tax increase of 6.9% ( 7% to you and me) and huge cuts in services the people of Caerphilly are facing a double kick in the teeth, with higher taxes and cuts to services.
I hope that the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Professor Sally Holland, will ensure that Wales sets the standard for the proper provision of singlesex toilets in all our schools. Susan Cunningham Roath, Cardiff
Austerity has eaten into the revenues that all councils have, however, with austerity, it is even more incumbent on councils to spend their resources wisely. Clearly this has not happened in Caerphilly.
CCBC spending figures show that the council has wasted over £400k on consultants’ fees and cost to developers, if you add in the £4.1m that has been paid out so far on the senior officer pay scandal we are talking millions. I fully understand the real pressure councils are under to find savings, but this does not absolve Caerphilly of it is duty to act responsibly. This clearly is not the case with CCBC.
Cllr Nigel Dix Blackwood