Council agrees to spend £12,500 to try and flush out public loo vandalism

Council leaders have unblocked the way for a more than £12,500 spend to tackle vandalism and maintenance of Boston's public toilets.
Boston Borough Council has agreed to invest the cash in toilet workBoston Borough Council has agreed to invest the cash in toilet work
Boston Borough Council has agreed to invest the cash in toilet work

Boston Borough Council’s cabinet was told on Wednesday that between £2-3,000 could be saved through the works.

It comes after a Boston Town Area Committee sub-group toured the facilities.

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Councillor Nigel Welton said members of BTAC the committee were “not impressed”.

A council officer said the two most expensive items to deal with around toilets were vandalism and the maintenance of the taps.

Under council rules, spends by BTAC over £10,000 must be approved by cabinet.

The full £12,550 spend will include the replacement of electric sensor operated taps with manual push ones, security grilles being placed over doors and the replacement of flooring.

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It will cover facilities at Central Park, Wide Bargate and Lincoln Lane.

The council’s portfolio holder for finance Councillor Aaron Spencer said he wanted to be sure the committee were not being ‘frivolous’ with the cash, repeating twice: “£12,500 for taps and floors?”

Justifying the spend, Cllr Welton said: “These are taps that need to take the rough and tumble of daily use by the public.”

It was said the electric ones required a large amount of costly maintenance but said the work would include the removal of wiring.

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Councillor Welton said he felt the committee had been meticulous in scrutinising the decision, adding: “We had a longer discussion about taps than anything else we have had in months.”

Some members had been Googling costs from Wickes during the meeting, he said.

The move would also look to ‘maximise’ income from entrance fees which council leaders say could be reinvested in improvements.

A report before the council said the toilets would be “more robust and better protected from vandalism in the future”.

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It would allow them to “remain available more often and are more likely to be in a fit for purpose and pleasant condition.”

Boston has six public toilets available – those above which the authority itself runs and three ‘community’ toilets which are promoted as being available at Oldrids, Asda and St Botolph’s Church.