Issue - meetings

This report proposes a scheme to create a step change in the standard of the City’s public toilets, replacing many of the older facilities with modern, attractive public toilets that will enhance the city centre whilst delivering a revenue saving to the Council. 

Recommended:   i)      That Council be asked to allocate £663k capital funding to undertake the refurbishment of the toilets, this capital to be funded by annual payments from the existing revenue budget for public toilets.

ii)            That, subject to the agreement of Council, a contract be awarded to the contractor who won the procurement exercise for £62k per year for fifteen years reflecting the aspects set out in paragraph 7 of the report.

Reason:                         To create excellent public toilets for York.

Consideration was given to a report which outlined details of a scheme to improve the standard of the city’s public toilets, replacing many of the older facilities with modern, attractive public toilets to enhance the city centre, whilst delivering a revenue saving to the Council.

These improvements supported the Reinvigorate York programme and the new Interim Tourist Strategy in enhancing the public realm and improving the quality and excellence of the public visitor welcome. The proposal also achieved the 2013/14 Budget Council £75k saving following a review of public conveniences across the city.

A procurement exercise had been undertaken and a new supplier identified to refurbish and upgrade facilities at the sites detailed in the Annex to the report.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that the new facilities would provide major accessibility improvements and that the St Sampson’s Square facility would no longer be required. Members also noted that further work would be undertaken with local businesses to increase interest in a community toilet scheme.

Consideration was then given to the following three options:

1.   Continue with the procurement exercise and award the contract as outlined above

2.   Re-start the procurement process and reduce the tender specification to find a better proposal; in reality this would mean reducing the number of facilities, or opening times, etc.

3.   Cancel the proposal and continue with existing arrangement.  In order to meet the budget savings extra funding would be required or facilities would need to be closed

Recommended:   i)      That Council be asked to allocate £663k capital funding to undertake the refurbishment of the toilets, this capital to be funded by annual payments from the existing revenue budget for public toilets.

ⁱⁱ⁾                   That, subject to the agreement of Council, a contract be awarded to the contractor who won the procurement exercise for £62k per year for fifteen years reflecting the aspects set out in paragraph 7 of the report. ^1.

Reason:                         To create excellent public toilets for York.