Public Conveniences
Lower High Street

Chris Mair , Resident & Town Councillor
Address to MHDC council meeting 28th February 2006

IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR THIS COUNCIL TO RESCUE ITS CREDIBILITY. NOTWITHSTANDING THE RUMOURED WHIP PLACED ON MEMBERS OF THE MAJORITY GROUP, APPROVING THIS PROPOSAL WOULD BE A POOR DECISION. THE COUNCIL TALKS OF OFFERING QUALITY TOILETS IN PLACE OF QUANTITY. WOULD THE COUNCIL CONSIDER A PROPOSAL FROM THE PRIMARY CARE TRUST FOR MALVERN'S NEW HOSPITAL ONLY TO HAVE 12 QUALITY BEDS RATHER THAN THE MORE SENSIBLE 24 BEDS THAT PUBLIC OPINION WOULD WISH TO SEE? IN RESPECT OF THE TOILETS AT UPTON, THIS COUNCIL IS IN DANGER OF SPONSORING A NEWS HEADLINE: 'COUNCIL SHUTS DISABLED TOILET'. THIS WEEKEND IT IS LIKELY THAT THE IMAGINERY SMITH FAMILY WILL BRING THEIR DAUGHTER JENNY TO UPTON TO FEED THE DUCKS. A DAY OUT BY THE RIVER THAT OFFERS JENNY IN HER WHEELCHAIR A CHANCE TO GET OUT AND ABOUT. THE DISABLED TOILET IS A FEW EASY YARDS AWAY FROM THE PATH BY THE RIVER WHERE THE DUCKS AND SWANS FLOCK TO ENJOY TIDBITS FROM THE THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS - YOUNG, OLD, ABLE, INFIRM AND DISABLED. THE TOILET THIS COUNCIL WANTS YOUNG JENNY AND OTHERS TO USE IS SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS AWAY, EITHER BACK UNDER THE RIVER BRIDGE TO THE CONTROLLED CROSSING OR ACROSS THE MAIN ROAD THROUGH UPTON. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN A REPORT FROM THE HEAD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DATED 21 FEBRUARY, PLAINLY STATES THE TOILETS IN UPTON, MALVERN AND TENBURY HAVE TO SHUT IN ORDER TO FIT IN WITH A PRE-DETERMINED BUDGET. SO, IS THIS PROPOSAL ABOUT OFFERING MORE CLEANING OF QUALITY TOILETS AS THE REPORT STATES, OR IS IT ABOUT SACRIFICING POTENTIALLY SERVICEABLE TOILETS TO SAVE A CORPORATE PENNY. IN A REPORT OF 30 AUGUST 2005, IT IS CLAIMED THE TOILETS IN UPTON ARE IN A POOR STRUCTURAL CONDITION, SO MAKING THEM DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN HYGIENICALLY AND, SURPRISINGLY, GIVEN ONE OF THE TOILETS IS ALREADY FOR THE DISABLED, CANNOT BE READILY ADAPTED TO MEET DDA REQUIREMENTS. AND, IT SEEMS SINCE THE HANLEY ROAD TOILETS WERE IMPROVED THESE ARE USED BY FOUR TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE AS THE TOILETS IN THE HIGH STREET. WHERE IS THE TABLED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THIS ASSERTION? IS THE COUNCIL AWARE THAT AN INDEPENDENT SURVEY, BY A PROFESSIONAL PERSON, HAS DETERMINED THAT THE UPTON BUILDING IS SOUND AND FOR SOME £5,000 THESE TOILETS COULD HAVE NEW WINDOWS, A PAINT JOB AND IMPROVED VENTILATION TO LIMIT ODOUR. FINALLY, I SEE NO EVIDENCE IN ANY PUBLISHED DOCUMENT INDICATING THAT ANY LEVEL OF IMPACT ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT ON THE CLOSURE OF THE UPTON TOILETS; WHO WILL BE AFFECTED, OR WHAT CONSULTATION THERE HAS BEEN WITH ANY LOCAL OR REGIONAL DISABILITY GROUP TO ASK WHAT THEY FEEL ABOUT LOSING A SCARCE DISABLED RESOURCE. IF THIS COUNCIL APPROVES CLOSURE AT UPTON THERE WILL SURELY BE A BACKLASH AGAINST THIS AUTHORITY AND IT MAY WELL COME AS A LEGAL CHALLENGE TO SUCH A DECISION. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO SHOW COMMON SENSE AND REJECT THIS PROPOSAL.