Agenda item

To provide the Committee an update regarding the Changing Places Toilets facilities project across the district.

The Leader of the Council presented the report that provided an update regarding the Changing Places Toilets Facilities Project across the District.

In July 2021 the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced the opening for Expressions of Interest bids for a share of a £30M pot to provide Changing Places toilets in existing, publicly accessible buildings.

In March 2022 the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) informed the Council that its bid had been successful and that it had been awarded the maximum £160,000. This was reported at Cabinet on 29 March 2022.

The funding was awarded to cover a two-year period for completion of the project.  DLUHC had confirmed that the funding would need to be incurred by 31 March 2024 to avoid any of the funding being returned.

Following a number of location changes amendments due to construction and financing challenges, the following was the final location listing for the four facilities:

·               South Street public toilets, Bourne (In partnership with Bourne Town Council)

·               Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham (project delivered)

·               Wyndham Park, Grantham

·                Cattlemarket Stamford

The Deputy Chief Executive (S151 Officer) clarified the funding position. There was a mismatch between the funding made available by Government and the actual amount that was required to deliver the four schemes. The Government had capped each facility at £40,000 irrespective of the actuals costs of delivering each of the sites. As set out in the report, the Council was around £100,00 short of what was required to deliver each of the facilities. The Council had been working with outside bodies to engage with necessary funding to deliver each of the sites.

The Meres Leisure Centre funding shortfall had been met by the District Council’s legacy budgets that were agreed by Council to fund changing places in respect of Wyndham Park, that shortfall would be met by the Grantham ESFCA reserve due to being within the ECA area special expense area. Wyndham Park was one of the primary assets of the special expense area.

In respect of South Street, the Council would meet the shortfall based on the model of the Town Council taking over full responsibility for the facility going forward. Cabinet had agreed back in February 2023, to transfer the freehold of South Street to the Town Council who would take full responsibility of the asset and the operation costs that go with it.

Cattlemarket was an ongoing challenge, the Council had been engaging with Stamford Town Council for several weeks to secure a level of funding contribution from the Town Council to meet the funding gap of £30,000 which was between the grant available to the Council and the cost of the facility. The Council had requested the Town Council contribute from their special expense area reserve. This decision had been agreed, however, the decision was being revisited. Concern was raised around the timescale of which the facility would be delivered at Cattlemarket.

All facilities had to be delivered and spent by the end of March 2024, otherwise the Government would pull the funding from the Council.

A query was raised on whether the full £160,000 would need to be repaid to Government if not all facilities were completed.

It was confirmed that the funding for the one project would need to be repaid if it was not completed by March 2024.

The Property Services Manager provided an update on the work maintenance of the four sites. The Meres Leisure Centre had been completed in the previous financial year, as per the original anticipated programme. This was now registered as a changing place toilet.

South Street changing places was thought to be brought forward in the previous financial year, however, due to complications with the agreement with the Town Council taking over management which had caused a delay. The Council had now reached exchange for transfer of the site on completion of the works within the previous week and Officer’s were looking to engage with contractors to bring the site forward, which roughly would take four weeks to complete.

In regard to Wyndham Park, a feasibility had been undertaken in relation to the location of the changing place facility, space had been identified within the memorial arch which was a former toilet facility. The Changing Place Support Team had signed off the designs for the proposal and Officers were engaging with contractors to bring the timeline forward on the facility.

The Cattlemarket scheme was currently being identified for a modular scheme rather than the existing building conversion. The Council were working with the contractor to bring the scheme forward and identify any difficulties.

One Member raised a query regarding the running costs of the facilities and whether budget had been set aside for the ongoing maintenance of the equipment of the facilities.

The Council had made an agreement with Bourne Town Council which meant that the Town Council’s would take over control and budget for monitoring the South Street facility in relation to repairs and management.

The separate agreement with Stamford Town Council requirement a contribution of a one-off sum and then the District Council would be liable for the ongoing maintenance of the facility. Cattlemarket and Wyndham Park were within the Council’s ownership and therefore, the Council was responsible for the maintenance of the facilities.

The running costs of each facility was estimated to be within a region of £1,000 per annum. The Council were seeking to enter an extended warranty for the equipment of 3 years.

An explanation was sought around the likelihood of all the faiclities being completed by March 2024.

The Deputy Chief Executive (S151 Officer) informed the Committee that they were determined to deliver all facilities by March 2024. The Cattlemarket was at the highest risk of not being completed in time due to uncertainty of funding from Stamford Town Council, the District Council had been liaising with the Town Council for six months. If the Town Council were unable to fulfil the request of the funding, Cabinet would then be asked to seek approval to find an alternative source of funding from elsewhere. The works also involved contractors and infrastructure works taking place on the sites, which may would increase the timeframe to completion.

One Member provided an update on Stamford Town Council’s position in regard to the Changing Places at the Cattlemarket.

A question had been raised by the Town Clerk of Stamford Town Council regarding conflict of interest for Councillors who were a District Councillor as well as a Town Councillor. The District Council’s Monitoring Officer had since confirmed that there was no conflict of interest and there was not an issue on dual-hatted Councillors could participate in votes on the topic at both Council’s.

Stamford Town Council were due to revisit the issue imminently.

It was further confirmed that the grant conditions stated that all expenditure needed to be incurred and paid for by the end of March 2024. Government would not allow the transferring of funds for the current financial year to the next financial year.

One Member discussed the previous allocation of the Changing Places sights and informed the Committee of a suitable site in the Deepings.

The Deputy Chief Executive (S151 Officer) clarified that a site within the Deepings was explored, however, a response was not received back from the Community Centre. There was not an opportunity to renegotiate other locations for Changing Places, due to the process taking up to three months for Government to confirm the location of a facility.

It was noted that the Cattlemarket had previously facilitated Changing Places in the past which meant the location was suitable for the facility. It was merely the funding position agreement from Stamford Town Council that was holding up the process of completion.

Another Member informed the Committee of an additional location in Grantham that would be suitable as a site for a changing place facility.

Stamford Town Council had stated they would prefer for the District Council to fund the construction of the facility, as well as the maintenance and operation.

Members shared their disappointment and concern of the Cattlemarket and problems with Stamford Town Council.

That the Committee:

1.    Review the progress being made to deliver the Changing Places Toilets facilities Project.