We need to save the public toilets at Jarvis Close in Exmouth Littleham | Opinion

This month's column will focus on the public toilet situation in Littleham.  

Readers may be aware that last week the Exmouth Town Council met and agreed to advise East Devon District Council that they would not support the operation of the toilet block at Jarvis Close as EDDC has placed this toilet block in category C.

Just to make readers aware, category C toilets are ones which are those EDDC says it can no longer afford to run and are sites that are less used or in locations served by other facilities.

In these examples, EDDC don't believe there is a commercial alternative that could provide an income and publicly accessible toilet, or there is a desirability to sell the freehold.

I would agree with the argument put forward by The British Toilet Association that such public facilities are a human right and that we do not want to end up in a situation whereby people are defecating in the street because they can't find a toilet.

I also accept the fact that not every toilet will close in Littleham and indeed Foxholes Car Park is in the category A designation – which means that EDDC believe it to be an important public toilet site which underpins the community, visitor economy or town, in which it will continue to invest and maintain.

These toilets will meet its 'principles of provision' and be open in design, unisex where appropriate, easy to maintain, will have open-access disabled facilities (not RADAR key restricted) and incorporate energy saving features.

'I still strongly believe that toilet provision must still be provided by councils'

However, the Jarvis Close toilet block is a long way from the Foxholes toilet block, so I would argue that it's still a necessary facility.

I note what colleagues at the town council said that it has not been open for the last two years due to Covid.

My suggestion, based on the options available to consider, which sadly was not taken up by members present, would be for the town council to offer to cover the district council's cleaning and maintenance costs in the same way that the council supported enhanced cleaning costs for some toilets during the pandemic.

Cost analysis provided by East Devon District Council indicates annual costs of £11,000 to maintain this site, but costs will undoubtedly have increased in the intervening period.

I believe this could be done for a year and then the situation reviewed to see whether it was still viable or not to continue to support this particular toilet block.

I also accept the argument that so far not many residents if any at all have complained about this particular toilet block being closed, but as one of your ward members not on EDDC cabinet I believe that it's my duty to bring this to the attention of our readers.

It may well be that it's ok to close this toilet block, but then you will have a car park attached with no toilet facilities to use which I do not think is a good option.

It might have been better if EDDC had included the car park with this toilet block as then it might then have been attractive to be bought and put back into use by groups such as Transition Exmouth.

I believe that even if this decision about these toilets cannot be reversed by EDDC and Exmouth Town Council, I still strongly believe that toilet provision must still be provided by councils, possibly paid for at the point of use.

For example, in 2008 in some Help the Aged research, about 1,000 respondents said that they would be happy to pay 10p or 20p to have public toilets in a good state of repair.

Although with inflation levels in 2022 I agree it may cost more that 20p, but it will still be good value when and if a toilet is needed.

'Exmouth very much depends on tourists'

As the House of Commons Provisions of Public toilets report said back in 2008 which is still relevant now: "Lavatory humour is rife in British culture, but the provision of public toilets is no laughing matter: public toilets matter to everybody, regardless of their age, class, ethnic origin, gender, mental ability or physical ability. They are even more important to certain sections of our society, including older people, disabled people, women, families with young children and tourists."

As readers are aware, Exmouth very much depends on tourists to visit and spend money in the town and such facilities would be of benefit to this town's economy so this is another reason why I feel that the decision of the town council was a short-sighted one.

As the report by the House of Commons went on to say: "Tourists and visitors also rank the availability of toilets high in their lists of reasons why a location is worth visiting, a point made by Peter Hampson, Director of the British Resorts and Destinations Association (BRADA): "If you are a visitor and there on a temporary basis, provision of toilets becomes absolutely fundamental…most journeys start and finish with people going to the loo.""

However, I must reluctantly accept that as far as the Jarvis Close toilet block is concerned, we are where we are with this one and hopefully readers and residents in years to come will not be too upset or disappointed with its future – unless of course you are willing to act now to prevent its closure.

READ MORE: From loo to café? District council seeks to 'creatively repurpose' Exmouth public toilets