Proposed measures to curb anti-social behaviour in Spalding and Holbeach public toilets haven’t worked in the six years they have been implemented in toilets in Wisbech, it’s been claimed.
South Holland District Council last year voted to get new public toilets that have individual cubicles with automatically locking doors.
A report to the authority’s Performance Monitoring Committee last night states that the council is looking at options for these ranging from £161,500 to £258,000.
But five toilets Fenland District Council installed with self lock cubicles (known as the ‘Healthmatic system’) six years ago had raised ‘a number of issues’ the report states and had made no notable impact on the reduction of anti-social behaviour”.
It continues: “The electronic locking on the doors is frequently out of order and expensive to repair.
“Attempts have frequently been made to break into the mechanisms as money is thought to be there.
“Remote locking has not worked therefore they have reverted to locking in person. It was reported that people have frequently found ways to hold open the electronic door such as using a piece of card to stop the closing mechanism and return later to sleep inside which causes damage to the locking system.
“The hand wash system is expensive to maintain and repair when it breaks down which it was reported to do frequently.
“The flooring was not laid on a proper base and already needs replacing.
“The design and finish of the toilets has not worn as well as they had anticipated and consequently they have found that despite cleaning they do not appear clean and less hygienic for customers.”
The report also stated that panels had been ripped out so drug users could keep their needles in the Wisbech toilets.
The council is also looking at looking at the option of installing a kind of self lock toilet called a ‘Danflo’, though no-one from the authority has visited these as the nearest ones are in Southend-on-Sea.
The refurbishment of the toilets is also still an option.
The existing council toilets would all be upgraded with the exception of Vine Street, which is to be decommissioned.
Charges of 20p will be introduced to use the facilities.
The report to Performance Monitoring Panel also states that the council is looking to provide “small kiosk outlets” for commercial use on the side of both Sheep Market and Winfrey Avenue toilets.
It continues: “The module toilets are intended to be self-locking this could reduce staffing requirements.
“In practice though that may not be a function that can be relied upon.”
