External funding could be sought to help fund council-owned conveniences in areas of North Yorkshire popular with tourists — but controversial fees to use public toilets are still set to be rolled out across the county.
Senior North Yorkshire Council councillors will be presented with a set of recommendations for the future management of the authority’s public loos at a meeting of the executive committee next Tuesday.
The proposed changes included a usage fee of either 40p or 50p, the closure of underused or dilapidated conveniences and encouraging town and parish councils to take over the running of their local facilities.
A report prepared by a council working group ahead of the meeting also proposes that the authority should, “as a priority”, collaborate with others, including York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, to find financial support to operate toilets used by tourists.
Plans to introduce charges for using public conveniences were previously announced in February.
But a debate on the issue was cancelled amid concern from members within the controlling Conservative and Independents group on the council.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Councillor Richard Foster, whose responsibilities include public toilets, said: “We have inherited a mixed and often ageing estate of public toilets, a number of which have fallen into poor condition after years of under‑investment.
“A major improvement programme is required that would commit us to bringing these essential facilities up to a consistently high standard across the county.
“If agreed, once refurbished, we will seek to introduce charges to ensure they can be properly maintained, kept clean and remain open for residents and visitors long into the future.”
Councillor Keane Duncan, Conservative member for the Norton division, who launched a ‘free to pee’ campaign over previous plans to charge users of conveniences in Malton, said he had since been contacted by people across North Yorkshire who believed public toilets were “a basic, fundamental service that should remain free to access”.
He added: “The stated aim of charges is to raise revenue, but the reality is far more complex. In many locations, expanding charging is impractical and costly to deliver.
“The evidence is far from clear it will generate the returns suggested – particularly once you take into account the cost of barriers, ongoing maintenance and enforcement, alongside lower footfall in many areas.
“That is why alternatives must be properly exhausted first. We should be actively pursuing external investment and giving real weight to practical options such as voluntary contributions and local partnerships.”
The authority is currently responsible for 85 traditional toilet blocks and eight changing places toilets — more than any other council in the UK.
Of the 93, 65 are currently free to use.
The service is forecast to cost the authority £230,000 in 2025/26.
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