Tadley's public conveniences axed - but Kingsclere's saved
Tadley facility lowest usage borough-wide
TADLEY's public toilets are set to close from April next year – but Kingsclere's have been saved.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council recently decided to close the Tadley toilets, which are situated off the A340 near Lloyds Bank from April 1 2016.
A total of £2,428, excluding staff costs, was spent maintaining the toilets in 2013/14.
The move will save an estimated £42,000 over the next 20 years, with further costs applicable for any demolition or for securing the brick-built building, the future use of which has not yet been decided.
The decision was made after a report revealed the Tadley toilets had the lowest usage of any public convenience across the borough.
An average of just 10 to 12 people per day use the toilets, which are open from 8am to 6.30pm, seven days a week.
Chairman of Tadley Town Council. David Leeks, said the decision was disappointing.
He added: “That’s another facility going in Tadley. We had hoped the borough council would keep it open.”
Mr Leeks said there was not a lot of land at the site, which was far from ideal to build on as it is situated at a busy road junction.
The town council has requested the toilets be demolished, rather than boarded up, to prevent vandalism.
However there was better news in Kingsclere, where the public toilets in the village square have been spared the axe, after the borough council revealed that in 2012 between 27 and 33 people used the toilets each day.
Expenditure on the Kingsclere toilets during 2013/14 was £3,150, excluding staff costs, while forecast expenditure on maintenance over the next 20 years amounted to £37,000.
Chairman of Kingsclere Parish Council, John Sawyer, said he was very pleased the facility had been saved.
He said: “They will be available for parishioners and visitors to the village, including passing tourists, cyclists and motorcyclists.”
The Budgens shop within Kingsclere West Service Station, just outside Kingsclere, has a public convenience for customers’ use, and St Mary's church, Kingsclere has toilet facilities.
Kingsclere borough councillor, Cathy Osselton, who has battled the issue for two years, said the borough council funded public toilets in Basingstoke town centre and argued this should also apply in rural areas.
She said: “I am delighted the borough has listened to our concerns and that we are able to keep our public toilets open.”
The borough council had suggested working with the parish council to form a community toilet scheme, involving shops or businesses in Kingsclere who would allow visitors to use their toilet facilities should the public toilets be closed for repairs or refurbishment.
Tadley’s public conveniences are the only ones across the borough to close, as toilets in Overton, Whitchurch and St Mary Bourne have also been saved.
Overton’s toilets had the highest usage – from 40 to 69 people per day.
