Concerns raised as public loos are shut down
A plan to reopen a toilet in Belper to the public after two sets of public loos were closed is to be investigated further, town councillors have agreed.
Belper Town Council has set up a special committee to investigate whether its toilet at the Coppice car park could be opened up.
The move came after Amber Valley Borough Council shut down its public loos at The Triangle and prepares to close the conveniences on Strutt Street to save cash on March 31.
Staff at Chucklebutties Play Centre at East Mill have previously complained that people were urinating at the side of their building when toilets at the River Gardens were closed.
Cllr Peter Shepherd told the meeting many local people were worried about the closures.
“Members of the public say we should withdraw the by-law which stops people urinating in the streets. We should provide toilets,” he said.
Cllr Jackie Cox described opening the Coppice toilets as a good idea but said decisions had to be made on who would clean the facility as well as locking it at night and providing supervision.
Cllr Joe Booth told the meeting: “in theory, it sounds right but in practice it doesn’t. I am concerned there are no disabled facilities.
“This is a knee-jerk reaction to the situation we have with Amber Valley.
“I do not think the Coppice is the right place.”
Cllr Jim Anderson said: “It would be an ideal spot for visitors coming in and using free parking, spending money in the town and spending a penny for nothing.”
But Cllr Alan Broughton said: “There is a lack of public toilets and it does want addressing.
“We have businesses saying you can use our toilets. I wonder how many of them are disabled friendly.”
De Bradelei Mill, Fresh Basil and St Peter’s Church are opening their facilities to non-customers as part of a council-led Community Toilet Scheme designed to replace the closed public toilets.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belper
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North
