AGENDA ITEM NO,rlr.rl-u.uw 3

NORTH COUNCIL

REPORT

to: ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES Subject: PROVISION OF PUBLIC COMMITTEE CONVENIENCES

om: HEAD OF FACILITY SUPPORT S ERVlC E.S

5ate:ate: 13 MAY 2009 Ref: GP/COH

1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise members of the current provision of on street public conveniences in and to advise on the potential to replace the remaining manned public conveniences with automated toilets or to cease the provision.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 There are currently five manned public conveniences located at:-

0 Station Road, Shotts North Road, 0 Kenilworth Avenue, 0 Brandon Parade South, 0 Brandon Parade East, Motherwell

There are three automated toilets located at:-

0 Main Street, Hallcraig Street, Airdrie 0 King Street,

A charge of 1Op is made for the use of automated toilets and approval was granted at Environmental Services Committee on 4'h August to implement a 20p charge for the toilets at Kenilworth Avenue, Wishaw on completion of refurbishment and to further introduce charges as other manned toilet facilities are refurbished.

2.2 Manned public conveniences are open Monday -Wednesday 8am - 5pm and Thursday to Saturday 8am - 6pm. Automated facilities provide a 24 hour service.

2.3 Each attended public convenience has a staffing level of 2 part-time employees working an average of 28.2 hours per week.

2.4 A number of other public conveniences are available in parks, cemeteries and council buildings.

T:\Cornrnittee\Environrnental Services\Facility Support Services\l3 May 2009\Public Conveniences 2.doc 3. CONSIDERATIONS

3.1 The potential to replace the five remaining manned public conveniences with automated toilets was requested to be investigated further. A summary of the proposals and issues is detailed in appendix one. Further consideration was requested on ceasing provision.

3.2 The revenue operating costs for manned public conveniences are detailed in appendix two and the revenue operating costs of automated toilets in appendix three.

3.3 Revenue income from the three automated toilets averaged €456 per location in the last financial year.

3.4 The manned public conveniences at Station Road, Shotts which are currently located in a portakabin could cease provision. Alternatively they could be replaced by a single automated toilet.

3.5 The manned public conveniences at North Road, Bellshill contain an existing automated toilet as well as disabled facilities. They could cease provision. Alternatively they could replaced with a single automated toilet.

3.6 The manned public conveniences at Kenilworth Avenue, Wishaw are currently located in a grade B listed gatehouse to the former Coltness Estate and are not suitable for the introduction of automated toilets. The internal refurbishment of the facilities was included in the 2008/09 capital programme and tender work was under preparation. However, as part of plans for a significant regeneration programme in Wishaw Town Centre an opportunity has emerged based around the incorporation of the Coltness gatehouse into a new development. This could incorporate toilet facilities or lead to possible relocation. Therefore, it was prudent to delay the refurbishment plans to allow for completion of the study. The toilets could be incorporated into a relocated Wishaw library under the development plans. Alternatively they could cease provision or be replaced by a triple automated unit.

3.7 Motherwell Shopping Centre has recently been taken into the ownership of Cala Developers Ltd and it is recommended that manned public conveniences continue to operate in the shopping centre. It is very unlikely that Cala Developers Ltd and the public would be willing to accept the provision of automated toilets in such a busy shopping centre. No other shopping centres of this size in the West of provide automated toilets. However, rationalisation into one manned public conveniences merits further consideration. The facility at Brandon Parade East could cease provision as an interim step to identifying a more central location with service continuing from Brandon Parade South.

3.8 The automated toilet at King Street, Kilsyth is reaching the end of its life and could cease provision.

3.9 The automated toilets at Hallcraig Street, Airdrie and Main Street, Coatbridge, have a further eleven years of a fifteen year lease agreement to run and it would not provide value for money to cease provision at this time. However, a request has been received by Town Centre managers to relocate the Coatbridge toilet due to anti-social behaviour and this is subject to investigation at this time.

4. STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

4.1 The implementation of these proposals, could lead to the number of toilet attendants currently employed by Facility Support Services reducing by up to eight. However, considerable efforts will be made to minimise the impact on staff with particular emphasis on seeking suitable alternative employment for the staff affected under the terms of the Council’s Redeployment Policy.

T:\Cornmittee\Environmental Services\Facility Support Services\l3 May 2009\Public Conveniences 2.doc 4.2 Senior management from Facility Support Services, along with members of Environmental Services HR team and the service trade union representatives, will meet with all employees affected to discuss the various options available to them, such as retraining, trial periods and alternative duties.

4.3 Appendix 4 details the potential staffing impact which will have to be formally incorporated into the service staffing establishment on the implementation of the proposals for the provision of toilet facilities.

5. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

5.1 The total potential revenue savings forecast on 2008/09 costs based on the closure of all manned public conveniences, excluding Brandon Parade South, and the closure of the automatic toilet at Kilsyth is f209,682. Replacement with single automated toilets at Shotts and Bellshill, an automated toilet at Wishaw with three cubicles, and continuation of the Brandon Parade South manned public conveniences at Motherwell would reduce this saving by f87,750 resulting in an annual forecast saving off121,932 excluding one- off site demolition and groundworks for the replacement automated toilets. Potential redundancy costs require to be quantified after the completion of the consultation process and final proposals and recommendations are submitted.

6. RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 The Environmental Services Committee is requested to:

6.1.1 approve further investigation of option A the closure of the manned public conveniences at Station Road, Shotts and option B replacement by a single automated toilet.

6.1.2 approve further investigation of option A the closure of the manned public conveniences at North Road, Bellshill and option B replacement by a single automated toilet.

6.1.3 Note the planned refurbishment of the public conveniences at Kenilworth Avenue, Wishaw under the current capital programme and approve the delay in works to allow completion of a feasibility study into a regeneration project including Coltness gatehouse and possible relocation and/or replacement with a three cubicle automated toilet.

6. I .4 Approve further investigation of the closure of the public conveniences at Brandon Parade East and that discussion takes place with Cala Developers on future public conveniences provision at Motherwell Town Centre.

6.1.5 Approve the closure of the automated toilet at King Street, Kilsyth at the end of the current lease extension in March 2009.

6.1.6 Refer the report to the Policy and Resources (Human Resources) Sub Committee for approval.

HEAD OF FACILITY SUPPORT SERVICES Members seeking further information on the contents of this report should contact Graham Patrick On 0141 304 1804

T:\Committee\Environrnental Services\Facility Support Services\l3 May 2009\Public Conveniences 2.doc APPENDIX ONE POTENTIAL FOR CONVERSION/REPLACEMENTOF REMAINING MANNED TOILET FACILITIES

FACILITY POTENTIAL FOR EST1MATED ESTIMATED SAVING ADDITIONAL COSTS TO BE REPLACEMENT REVENUE LEASElMAlNTENANCE DETERMINED COSTS COSTS OF 2008109 AUTOMATED UNITS Station Road, Shotts Portakabin facility could be f33,024 f25,000 f8,024 0 costs of removal of existing replaced with a single portakabin unit automated toilet. ground works for automated toilet redundancy costs North Road, Bellshill Mixed manned/automated f53,543 f25,000 f28,543 0 costs of removal of existing toilet in portakabin facility. portakabin unit Could be replaced with a 0 ground works for single automated toilet. automated toilet 0 redundancy costs Kenilworth Avenue, Included in 2008109 capital f49,092 f37.750 f11,342 0 identification of alternative Wishaw programme for internal site refurbishment. Recommend 0 ground works for delay to allow time for automated toilet feasibility study for 0 redundancy costs regeneration project to incorporate gatehouse building that houses the facility. Brandon Parade East, Recommend continuation of f59,604 Not Applicable To be Identification of alternative Motherwell one manned public confirmed site and refurbishment convenience in busy subject to costs shopping centre and rationalisation investigate central location for remaining public convenience. Brandon Parade South, Recommend continuation of f49,272 Not Applicable To be 0 Identification of alternative Motherwell one manned public confirmed site and refurbishment convenience in busy subject to costs shopping centre and rationalisation investigate central location for remaining public conveniences.

T:\Committee\Environmental Services\FacilitySupport Services\l3 May 2009\Public Conveniences 2.doc APPENDIX TWO

Manned Public Conveniences Revenue Costs 2007/2008 Station Road, Shotts €30,275 North Road, Bellshill f50,500 Kenilworth Avenue, Wishaw €43,137 Brandon Parade South, Motherwell €42,602 Brandon Parade East, Motherwell €55,026 Total f 221,540

Station Road, Shotts f33,024 North Road, Bellshill f53,543 Kenilworth Avenue, Wishaw €49,092 Brandon Parade South, Motherwell €49,272 Brandon Parade East, Motherwell f59,604 Total f 244,535

T:\CornrnitteeEnvironmental Services\Facility Support Services\l3 May 2009\Public Conveniences 2.doc APPENDIX THREE

Main Street, Coatbridge f23,068 Hallcraig Street, Airdrie f19,689 King Street, Kilsyth E13,761 Total E 56,518

Main Street, Coatbridge f27,682 Hallcraig Street, Airdrie f20,759 King Street, Kilsyth f14,419 Total f 62,860

T:\Committee\Environmental Services\Facility Support Services\l3 May 2009\Public Conveniences 2.doc Appendix 4

Public Conveniences - Staffing Implications

FSS Shotts Toilet Attendant 16 NLC2 651 0 Total 224 f91,957

(approx)

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