Petition against proposed Hastings toilet closures

Hastings Borough Council is proposing to shut the facilities in Harold Place and in Ore village.

The council is also considering introducing three seasonal closures of the public conveniences at Alexandra Park Bowls, Rock-a-Nore, and in Falaise Road.

The move would save the authority £120,000 a year.

Tina Graham, who started the online petition on www.change.org, said: “The council is considering closing the public toilets in the town centre and in Ore village. If this comes to fruition the closure will inconvenience the elderly, those with children and people with particular medical needs.

“The council proposes there are other facilities available nearby. This is clearly incorrect for Ore village where no other obvious toilets exist.”

More than 360 have so far signed the petition.

The proposed closures are part of a raft of proposals by the council for its 2017/18 budget.

Council leader, Peter Chowney, said the authority faced continuing cuts from its government grant and added it had fallen by more than 50 per cent since 2010.

He said: “This year alone we are faced with a cut of well over £1m in our total government grant. Our revenue support grant has been cut by £797,000, and there were unexpected cuts to other grants too.

“Yet there is increased pressure on some of our vital services, such as dealing with homelessness, and staff salaries and inflation continue to rise.

“We are working very hard to raise additional income and we would much, much rather raise money than cut services.”

Full details of the budget, and how to comment on it, can be found on www.hastings.gov.uk.

The budget for 2017/18 will be discussed and agreed at the budget council meeting to be held on Wednesday, February 22.

To go to the petition click here.

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