Brighton and Hove City Council’s Conservative Group have brought forward plans to stop Labour planned cuts in opening hours at public toilets across the city.

Labour Councillors have been very vocal about saving public toilets, but the fine print in their proposed budget shows plans to cut £178,000 of funding to public toilets, massively reducing the opening hours across right across the city.

The City Council is responsible for 36 public toilets, with 31 of these set to open at 10am rather than the current 8am, meaning 62 hours of access to public toilets removed every day across Brighton and Hove.

The Conservative Group proposal would see Labour’s funding cut of £178,000 reduce by £120,000, enable longer opening hours across the city. The proposal is planned to be funded by removing the planned investment of £200,000 in a pilot project of school counselling for year 9 pupils.

The Conservative Government is rolling out Mental Health Support Teams across schools and colleges with 44% expected to be covered by April 2024 and at least 50% by spring 2025, as well as offering all state schools and colleges funding to train a senior mental health lead by 2025. The Conservative Group therefore believes that counselling for a small group of pupils in a select number of schools is unnecessary.

Councillor Alistair McNair, Conservative Group Leader, said “Labour have made a big claim of saving public toilets repeatedly at meetings, but what they don’t tell you is that is only the case if you need the toilet after 10am.

“The Council’s own Equality Impact Assessment on the proposal states that they will have greater impact on people who need to use facilities more frequently, those with limited mobility, and those with limited alternative means for accessing facilities such as older people, small children and their carers, disabled people and individuals with some health issues, and rough sleepers.

“Labour should stop celebrating the alleged saving of public toilets and be honest with residents that they are cutting the availability of public toilets by thousands of hours a year.”

Cllr Ivan Lyons said “As a keen runner who regularly takes part in the city’s three Parkruns, I know how vital the early opening of public toilets is. Over 1,000 people regularly attend the 9am Parkrun at Hove Park, Hove Promenade, and Preston Park. Without the use of public toilets until an hour after the runs begin, I fear that many people will be put off attending. The runners, the volunteers, the spectators will all need toilets. Labour need to think about the consequences of cuts to public toilets and reverse these plans.”