The web Upton website
|
|
The web Upton website |
|
Cllr John Thompson, Mayor of Upton upon Severn
Address to MHDC council meeting 28th February 2006
Upton has a real need to cater for the elderly and infirm visitor in the middle of the town, and we are strongly of the opinion that the Hanley Road toilets do not best serve that need. When the District Council first raised the subject of the High St toilets, it was a question of the cost of cleaning. Upton offered to consider a financial contribution to that cost. The response to our offer was an estimate of costs of refurbishment. In our opinion that estimate was excessive and refurbishment could be achieved for much less. Then out of the blue, so far as Upton was concerned, we received a draft proposal that we should take over all toilets. Despite the offer of some transitional finance, this was not a possibility for us, given the size of our precept and our lack of supervisory staff. My council is unanimous in calling for the toilets to stay open. And, judging by the support to Cllr Mary Wilkinson's petition to this council, our opinion is shared by the people of Upton. Over a single weekend, more people of the parish signed that petition, than voted in the last election to the District Council. Lavatories, built and owned by the parish before 1974, belong to a class of buildings, which come under special legal obligations. In such a case, they belong to the people of the parish, irrespective of which council runs them. We request this council to supply copies of documents which show how the building was acquired and details of the intended method of public consultation. In the meantime, we urge you to further your discussions with the Town Council and to keep the toilets open.
|