Agenda item

The following recommendations to Council were agreed by Cabinet at the meeting held on 29^th November 2021:

1.    Agenda Item 10: Public Convenience Investment Programme

Recommend to Full Council that further capital provision of £500,000 is allocated from capital receipts (to include any potential grant funding) to undertake improvements to facilities in Sheringham and North Walsham, to include provision of Changing Places facilities. These facilities will be delivered by the end of the 2022 calendar year

2.    Treasury Management Half-Year Update 2021-2022

Recommends that Full Council approves the Treasury Management Half-Yearly Update 2021-2022

Overview & Scrutiny Committee supported the above recommendations at the meeting held on 8^th December 2021.

1.     Public Convenience Investment Programme

Cllr E Seward, Portfolio Holder for Assets introduced the recommendation. He said that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee had formed a panel to look at the strategy going forwards. He said that officers were aware of the time pressures regarding the Sheringham and North Walsham schemes and work on costs had already begun.

Cllr E Vardy referred to the public conveniences in the town of Holt in his ward. He said that residents were very unhappy about the lack of investment there and requested that consideration should be given to including Holt in any future programme. He reminded members that Holt was a key tourist town and generated a significant amount of income from car parking.  Cllr Seward replied that within the strategy it was proposed that all of the main towns would have up to date toilets, including changing places facilities. He said that challenges around funding for changing places was proving difficult to obtain. Cllr Vardy said that he felt this answer was not sufficient given the amount of income that the town generated. Cllr Seward referred Cllr Vardy to the Scrutiny Panel and said that he could raise his concerns there as part of their remit was to consider priorities.

Cllr T FitzPatrick referred to the village of Walsingham in his ward. He said that it was a very popular destination for pilgrims with between 300- 400k a year visiting. At present there was just one inadequate public toilet. He added with the District becoming an increasingly population staycation destination, many holiday homes were at full capacity and the needs of the whole District must be considered regarding the provision of public conveniences. Cllr Seward replied that the Scrutiny Panel would consider the needs of Holt and Walsingham as part of their assessment.

Cllr P Grove-Jones said that she welcomed the review and that her own local town of Stalham needed to have its public conveniences assessed. She added that the Council had one of the highest number of public conveniences in the country. Annually, maintenance of the 38 toilets was approximately £700k per annum.

Cllr Seward said that between 2010 – 2019 over 600 public toilets had been closed across the country and the Council was bucking the trend by maintaining and improving facilities.

Cllr Hayman asked whether improved signage could be provided as this would help reduce the misuse of other areas. Cllr Grove-Jones said that the County Council had charged £300 for the provision of a sign in Stalham.

It was proposed by Cllr E Seward, seconded by Cllr E Spagnola and

RESOLVED

That further capital provision of £500,000 is allocated from capital receipts (to include any potential grant funding) to undertake improvements to facilities in Sheringham and North Walsham, to include provision of Changing Places facilities. These facilities will be delivered by the end of the 2022 calendar year.

2.     Treasury Management Half-Year Update 2021-2022

It was proposed by Cllr E Seward, seconded by Cllr E Spagnola and

RESOLVED

To approve the Treasury Management Half-Year Update 2021-2022