Decision details

Reporting a schedule of repairs and capital improvements for public toilets at 10 locations across the district. The proposals are informed by a survey of 27 public toilets completed by Geoff Oliver & Associates Ltd in 2023.

Cabinet agreed the following:

a)  To approve the schedule of works this report suggests in 3.1/3.2 (either option 1 or option 2, dependent on the outcome of discussions with Southern Water) which will be undertaken using:

  i.  £400k of funding from earmarked reserves. Under option 1 £279k will be allocated for revenue repairs and £121k revenue contribution to capital. Under option 2 the whole £400k will be allocated to revenue repairs;

  ii.  £450k of capital funding (via borrowing);

  iii.  £400k from the Margate Town Deal funding (external grant);

b)  To endorse the proposed financing of the existing £749k budget for the Public Toilets refurbishment and renewal project within the 2023/24 Capital Programme, to be a mix of £450k of borrowing, a £121k contribution from earmarked reserves, with financing of the remaining £179k to be identified at a later date; with the actual financing of the capital programme being determined by the s151 officer as per officer delegations;

c)  To approve a budget virement (adjustment) to be made if the discussions with Southern Water are not successful, as per option 2, with a virement of £121k from the budget for the revenue contribution to capital to be transferred to the revenue budget for repairs to existing facilities;

d) To note that £400k of approved capital budget is allocated for toilet facilities within the Margate Town Deal scheme in the 2023/24 Capital Programme;

e) That a further report be taken to Cabinet before the end of October 2024 which provides an update on toilet refurbishment and improvement works, including the outcome of the Southern Water financial contribution. The report shall also propose next steps to address refurbishment or improvements at the public toilets not included in this initial phase;

f)  That the western undercliff public toilets be added to the list of toilets for consideration when further funding becomes available.

Budgets with a value of £1.25m have been identified for investment in public toilets across the district to improve their quality. There is potential for this budget value to increase to £1.5m subject to a further sum of £250k being approved via external funding. For this reason an Executive Decision is required because the project involves incurring expenditure anticipated to be £250,000 or above.

The alternative option for the Council is to not undertake any improvement of the public toilets. This was rejected as a number of maintenance issues need to be addressed in order to keep the facilities open and of an acceptable standard.