High street toilet scheme moves a step closer

8:51am Tuesday 18th March 2008

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The possibility of shoppers being allowed to use private toilets in high street stores moved a step closer this week.

Under proposals discussed by councillors, shopkeepers in Shenley Road would volunteer to open their toilets to members of the public, regardless of whether they are customers, in return for an annual fee from Hertsmere Borough Council. But Borehamwood Cowley Hill ward councillors Ann Harrison and Di Hoeksma, who first proposed the idea in January last year, are angry at the length of time it has taken for the authority to set up the scheme. There are currently two public toilets, known as automatic public conveniences' (APCs), in Shenley Road, which allow shoppers to spend 10p to relieve themselves. But the APCs are inconvenient for the elderly and those with small children and are also expensive to maintain. In a report put before the council's executive on Wednesday last week, Andrew Weaver, the authority's head of environmental health, said: "It may be prudent to close one of the APCs and this would provide a saving of approximately £12,000 per year, which should be enough to fund the scheme once it is up and running. "If the executive agrees we could launch the Borehamwood pilot within a few weeks of the decision."Mr Weaver said the scheme would cost around £40,000 to set up. Councillor Jean Heywood, environment portfolio holder, said: "I want to assure councillors we have not forgotten about this. "It has been a proven fact that this does boost the local economy as people going into shop toilets probably go through the shop and use the shop more than they would do if they weren't in there." But following the meeting Ms Harrison said: "I know officers have been putting the financial details of the scheme together, but Di Hoeksma and myself are getting really annoyed at the length of time it is taking, I don't understand why they just can't get on with it. "Compared with the current public toilets we have this is a relatively cheap scheme and it has been proven to work elsewhere. "There is a great lack of toilet facilities in Borehamwood's shopping centre. "If this works it could be possible to implement it in other parts of the town such as the Manor Way and Leeming Road shopping areas." The draft report will go before a scrutiny committee on April 2 and back to the executive for approval in May. Toilets could then be opened to the public by the beginning of June.

• Have you been caught short in Shenley Road? Do you think the council's scheme will be a flash in the pan? Email us or leave your comments below.