Agenda item

To formally report the receipt of a petition submitted requesting the provision of public conveniences in the Jaywick Sands beach area.

RESOLVED that Cabinet endorses the comments of the Portfolio Holder for Assets as this Council’s formal response to the Petition.

Cabinet considered a report of the Head of Democratic Services & Elections (A.10), which formally reported the receipt of a petition submitted requesting the provision of public conveniences in the Jaywick Sands beach area.

It was reported that, a paper petition submitted by Danny Sloggett as lead petitioner, on behalf of the Jaywick Sands Happy Club, had been received during April 2024. The petition contained 86 names and addresses that were legible and those persons were on the electoral register.

Cabinet was informed that the petition requested that public conveniences be provided in the Jaywick Sands beach area. The explanatory text for the petition stated:-

“We have been approached by holiday makers and locals concerning the lack of toilets by the beach to the point of locals finding people defecating in their gardens.

It’s only going to get worse now the summer is here and the holiday makers are flooding in. We have a beautiful beach to enjoy but nowhere for people to go to the toilet.”

Members were reminded that Public Conveniences were an executive function (Assets Portfolio) and therefore the Cabinet was the appropriate body to consider this matter.

The report contained the advice of the Assistant Director (Building & Public Realm), which was as follows:-

“Tendring District Council owns two existing public convenience locations in the Jaywick area: new facilities centrally located and recently opened on the Sunspot site and nearby older facilities at Tamarisk way which have been closed following severe vandalism. The new facilities are within around 700m of all parts of Jaywick Beach. Holiday makers at the nearby holiday parks have the benefit of facilities provided on those sites for their use.

By comparison the beach area of Clacton and Holland is served by six public conveniences (some seasonal) along its approximately 6 Km frontage. There is some signposting to nearest facilities.

Tendring District Council’s public convenience strategy for Tendring adopted in June 2017 was to provide accessible, safe, high quality public conveniences for residents and visitors. The Council has committed to a full review of this strategy in the current financial year.

The strategy proposed to achieve this aim by rationalising existing facilities that were considered to be operating from buildings that could no longer be maintained cost effectively, were located in areas which resulted in under use, or unacceptable levels of misuse and investing savings from closing such facilities into the refurbishment and improvement of remaining public toilets, bringing them up to appropriate standards.

The assessment also noted that provision of public toilets is a discretionary and not a statutory service provided by the local authority and as such is reflected in budgets.

The construction of a significant new public convenience on a shoreline site is likely to be substantially costly and may be hard to prioritise against other investment needs in the prevailing financial landscape.

The Council’s public convenience strategy has ensured that all areas of the district that previously had public toilets would continue to be served by them. Jaywick Sands previously had an older building situated behind a local shop that experienced a high level of antisocial behaviour and vandalism. This site has been replaced by new modern facilities located at the Sunspot.

A review of all public conveniences will be completed and a new strategy produced this financial year.”

The report also set out the comments of the Portfolio Holder for Assets (Councillor Kotz) as follows:-

“Whilst I note and welcome the substantial visitor usage of the excellent beaches at Jaywick Sands we must recognise that the Council is in a restrained financial position. Although I support the idea of increasing facilities and services it is hard to recommend among the current economic climate.

Reconsidering public convenience provision throughout the towns and coast of Tendring District can only fairly be achieved within the context of an overall review of the strategy. Such a strategy review can take account of the developing financial issues that we face and should follow consideration and resolution of those issues. I have asked officers to complete a review of the strategy in the current year accordingly.

I would like to thank the petitioners for their views and consideration. I acknowledge the visitor numbers in the area but believe that we cannot, at present, commit the organisation to the construction of new facilities. I believe that a review of this and other strategies should be carried out at a future juncture once the approach to the Council’s financial position can be brought into clear focus.”

During the consideration of this item, the Portfolio Holder for Assets submitted the following additional comments:-

“I refer Members to my comments at page 894 of the agenda and further say that Tendring District Council currently has 27 public conveniences across the District with 17 open throughout the year. The service is non-statutory but we realise public conveniences are an important service in any seaside area.

Toilets to the rear of Sweet Tina’s shop were replaced recently with new toilets at the Sunspot development. The closed facilities are situated in a secluded area and were frequently closed due to vandalism and anti-social behaviour and created unsustainable costs to maintain and repair. The new facilities are modern, easier to keep clean and maintain and, because of the nature of the site, deter anti-social behaviour.

Jaywick beach is not owned by Tendring District Council and due to its potential to flood is not the ideal position for a facility of this type.

We are currently in the process of producing a new public convenience strategy which will review the current trends and needs of residents and visitors to the District as well as assessing the current provision in all areas.”

In accordance with the Petitions Scheme, Danny Sloggett had been invited to attend this meeting to address the Cabinet, to outline the reasons for the submission of the petition and to describe what action the petitioners would like the Council to take. However, Mr. Sloggett was not in attendance at the meeting.

Having duly considered the Petition together with the information provided in the report:-

It was moved by Councillor Kotz, seconded by Councillor M E Stephenson and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet endorses the comments of the Portfolio Holder for Assets as this Council’s formal response to the Petition.