Campaign to save Skegness toilets after district council pulls management budget

Councillors were left outraged after receiving notification East Lindsey District Council will no fund the maintenance and management of the Tower Gardens toilets – and now they are calling on the public to help save the facility.

The blow follows the success of the first Christmas market in the gardens but other big events suggested that could be at risk include Skegness Carnival and the 999 Day.

Town clerk Steve Larner initially explained the situation to last week’s meeting of Skegness Town Council.

“East Lindsey District Council informed us that they will no longer fund the maintenance and management of the Tower Gardens toilets,” he said.

“They put forward two options to enable them to be kept open – Skegness Town Council pay ELDC £60,000 pa to continue to provide the service

or Skegness Town Council take on the management of the toilets itself, which is likely to cost a similar amount.

“This was discussed by Council as part of the budget item on the agenda.

“The council decided that both of the options were unaffordable for Skegness Town Council as this would place an unacceptable burden on the precept payer. As a result the toilets are under threat of closure from April.”

Additionally, Mr Larner said Skegness East Lindsey District Councillors at the meeting confirmed they had not been consulted as part of this decision.

It was felt the decision goes against ELDC’s quoted objectives within publicity for their Investment Strategy that “the council is looking to support more events and festivals that will attract thousands more people to East Lindsey”. How will the decision to effectively close the toilets in Skegness Town Centre’s main event space support this objective? councillors asked.

“It could impact the future of events in Tower Gardens. Events like Carnival and 999 day rely on the public toilets being open.” said Mr Larner.

“When the coaches drop off and pick up on Grand Parade many visitors use the toilets in Tower Gardens as they are the nearest ones.”

Councillors also felt there was a deep inequality of treatment between residents of Skegness compared with some other East Lindsey market towns.

"East Lindsey provide toilets in these towns without an entry fee (free to use),” said Mr Larner. “This is paid for out of East Lindsey funds supported by Council Tax payers money including that from the residents of Skegness who have to pay an additional charge of 40p every time they need to use their local public toilets.

“ELDC’s option to keep the Tower Gardens toilets open, is that £60,000 should be paid to ELDC from the Town Council’s precept would mean that not only would Skegness Council tax payers be contributing to the free to enter toilets for residents in other towns, they would be paying a significant extra amount to keep the toilets in Tower Gardens open that they would then still have to pay 40p to enter.”

After the council debate, councillors asked Mr Larner to write to the Leader of the Council at East Lindsey, Coun Craig Leyland, to ask him to reconsider this decision even if this meant the toilets were only open from April until the end of October.

This letter has been sent but Mayor of Skegness, Coun Adrian Findley, is urging the public and event organisers to get on board.

"I am very disappointed by East Lindsey’s proposal putting our town’s major events at risk and removing a service along the seafront that is used by visitors and locals alike,” he said. “We have written to the council leader expressing our views as a council but would also urge the public to write their letters of objection too. We must fight together to keep these toilets open.”

Lincolnshire World asked East Lindsey District Council about the decision not to fund the maintenance and management of the Tower Gardens toilets.

An ELDC spokesperson said: "Whilst these conversations remain ongoing, we are not able to comment on this matter, however we will be able to provide an update once these talks have concluded."