Agenda item

Report number DCS15 by the Director of Community Services.

(attached)

DECISION:

(1)        To approve the Grantham Bus Station as the most suitable site for the provision of attended toilets in Grantham;

(2)        To approve the costs of refurbishment estimated to be £125,000 in 2005/2006;

(3)        To ensure that the additional cost of providing an attended facility in Grantham will be contained within the 2005/2006 budget allocation.  Should any additional budget be required in 2006/2007 this will be identified in the 2006/2007 budget round;

(4)        To include as part of the scheme proper signposting within the town centre area to indicate the location of the attended facilities and approximate walking distance;

(5)        That officers investigate the terms of the lease with Morrisons for the use of the Bus Station site;

(6)        To seek a formal response from the Grantham TCMP and the Police on the preferred location.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)     Recommendations from the Environment DSP Working Group set up to consider the location of an attended toilet in Grantham, together with an oral report given at the meeting by a member of that Working Group;

(2)     The Grantham Local Area Assembly’s preference for the Bus Station as the location for the toilets;

(3)     A technical evaluation of the Abbey Gardens and the Bus Station sites  which indicated that the Bus Station has the potential to provide larger facilities in an area of town where there is considerably higher footfall.  The benefits of providing a facility where large numbers of people are either waiting for transport or completing journeys.  The Bus Station therefore offers the greatest potential to provide quality facilities; is in an area where most people would expect to find toilets, and would have the advantage of being in a high footfall area;

(4)     Report number DCS15 by the Director of Community Services summarising the outcome of consultations and details of the technical evaluation for both options – Abbey Gardens and Grantham Bus Station;

(5)     The Capital Programme includes a sum of £200,000 to meet the capital costs of refurbishing the toilets in Grantham.  Subject to agreement with Morrisons, the work could be completed at the Bus Station in October 2005;

(6)     Signposting within the town centre area will inform visitors where to find the toilets and advise on approximate walking distance;

(7)     The lease on the Bus Station site has another 18 years to run; in view of the Council’s proposed investment in the public conveniences, consideration needs to be given to the terms of this lease;

(8)     The comments from the Grantham TCMP and the Police were not contained in report DCS15.

Other options considered and rejected:

The Abbey Gardens site:

(1)     The site is away from the shops and is a smaller footfall area;

(2)     Recently approved plans for additional security measures for the Abbey Gardens, including extended railings and gates, will restrict access at the site to office opening hours only.  Security at this particular location is a high priority issue having regard to previous arson attacks on the building and the inappropriate activity which necessitated the closure of the public toilets in Abbey Gardens and Conduit Lane;

(3)     The specified requirement for a 24 hour facility will not be possible at Abbey Gardens.