Parish and town councils share practical solutions for keeping public conveniences open

Our latest event, Public Conveniences: Cost, Pressure and Practical Solutions, explored the challenges parish and town councils face when managing public conveniences across England. The session explored how many parish and town councils have had local facilities transferred to them, often at short notice and without accompanying funding or negotiation, leaving them wih significant operational and maintenance costs.

Attendees heard from expert speakers, including Cllr Roger Berry, director at the British Toilet Association; Dr Jonathan Rose, associate professor at De Montfort University; and Sam White, clerk at Looe Town Council. Speakers examined the impact of asset devolution on councils, provided insight into the national picture and emerging trends in public convenience provision, and shared practical examples of how councils are keeping facilities open despite financial pressures.

Cllr Roger Berry opened the session by discussing the financial and legal implications of taking on public conveniences. He emphasised the importance of due diligence, negotiating with principal authorities, securing funding where possible, and planning for long-term costs. He said, "You wouldn't buy a house without surveying it. So, insist that you've got as much information as you need in order to take on that responsibility."

Dr Jonathan Rose followed with an overview of how parish and town councils are already delivering public toilets at significant scale and cost. He highlighted the sector's resilience but noted that long-term sustainability will require greater collaboration and support from higher tiers of government. He said, "41% of local councils said that rising costs had affected their ability to keep toilets open", highlighting how collaboration, joint procurement and external funding could help reduce costs.

Sam White closed the presentations with a case study from Looe Town Council. She explained how running public toilets requires continuous investment, active management and innovative approaches to income generation. There is no ‘set-and-forget’ approach, and facilities require ongoing maintenance, refurbishment and operational oversight. She said, "There's constant investment and maintenance that needs to be done in order to keep them up to standard."

The event ended with a Q&A that focused on three key themes: how councils can fund public conveniences, how they can tackle vandalism and misuse, and the practical measures available to make toilet provision financially sustainable in the long term.

The session reinforced a clear message: public conveniences are an essential community service, but they represent a growing financial and operational challenge for parish and town councils, particularly as local government reorganisation leads to further asset devolution. Parish and town councils should plan carefully, secure community support, invest continuously and explore innovative ways to keep facilities open and accessible.