September Date for Public Toilet Council Debate

Following the occupation of Twerton Public Toilets and a lot of petition signatures, here is an update from the Save Our Public Toilets campaign:

Following the hand-in of the 2400 odd signature petition  on Friday 9th, the B&NES Democratic Services are counting the number of B&NES post codes to ensure there are 1000 to trigger a council debate.  

 

Assuming that a full council debate will be triggered, possibly on Thursday Sept 12th, we are researching other aspects, legal and financial, to raise with various councillors and to include in a statement to that meeting.  The meeting starts at the unusually late time of 7:30pm, preceded by another full council meeting to do with approving aldermen, which starts at 6:30pm. 

 

Unfortunately, John Bull, leader of the Labour group in the council, whose support would be necessary to reverse any entrenched policy, (along with the Independent "group"), is saying, "The Labour Group will be discussing it (prior to the Council debate in September).  But, in the light of our difficulty in suggesting where else the axe should fall, I think that a paying system is maybe worth looking at, certainly for Larkhall."  

 

So far the Independents, led by Bryan Chalker, are of the same mind, and although we are awaiting further communication, nothing in their previous ones engenders hope of change.  Which is why it is necessary to pursue other lines of research.

 

Another organisation, Bath Against the Cuts, is holding a demonstration between 5 - 5:30pm on Sept 12th outside the Guildhall, and is planning to make a registered statement to the council, as we will for the Save Our Public Toilets campaign.