Resort toilets in need of upgrade

Resort toilets in need of upgrade

18 October 2017

THE majority of public toilets in Newcastle need replaced or major work to upgrade them, according to a report due to be discussed by local politicians this evening.

The report, due to be debated at tonight’s meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s Regulatory and Technical Services Committee, was compiled following an in-depth review of  public conveniences across the district.

Mournes councillor, Willie Clarke, who asked for the review in the wake of mounting concern about the poor cleanliness of some toilets and the limited opening hours of others in Newcastle, claimed some are in an “awful condition.” 

He said the detail of the report does not come as any surprise to him after he asked for the review to be carried out on the condition of public toilets, alongside an examination of their maintenance and cleansing schedules and staffing arrangements.

“I have been contacted on numerous occasions about the cleanliness of the toilets in Newcastle and the scale of the work that is required to upgrade them comes as no surprise to me at all given the awful condition of some of them,” he declared.

Councillor Clarke said the overall conclusion highlighted in the report is that there is a need for the local authority to consider both capital and revenue expenditure in public toilet provision in Newcastle in order to provide the level of service it expects to provide to the public.

He said the report recommends money being earmarked for public toilet refurbishment with the initial focus on Newcastle.

“As indicated within the findings of the report, there is a variance in the frequency of cleaning toilets across the district with some facilities receiving one visit per day, whereas others are serviced more frequently,” revealed Councillor Clarke.

“Facilities which are serviced less frequently are more likely to fail to meet the standard of cleanliness which the local authority would seek to provide. But even regular visits during the day cannot always guarantee this standard will be achieved due to inappropriate use of the facilities provided.”

Councillor Clarke said council officers are currently reviewing this service provision, suggesting the outcome may result in proposals during the rates process for additional staff to be employed to look after public toilets.