street+scene+-+Bits+and+pieces+-+Flush+with+success+(1.4.09)

=** Residents flush with success **= Advertiser - Wednesday, 01 April 2009
 * - community toilets plan gets all cisterns go**

PENSIONERS and residents’ associations have successfully pushed for Haringey Council to trial a community toilet scheme across the borough.

Haringey’s Federation of Residents’ Associations and the Haringey Forum for Older People first demanded the toilet scheme, which would allow the public free access to toilets in cafés, pubs and shops, in December 2007.

The idea came about as similar schemes existed in other London boroughs to make it easier for those out and about to relieve themselves.

Dave Morris, secretary of the HFRA, said: //“The lack of adequate public toilet facilities is no longer acceptable. We now expect immediate action to roll out a Haringey-wide scheme to make community toilet facilities available in every main road and area of the borough.”//

David Singh, chairman of the HFOP, argues the lack of public toilets is a problem that affects the elderly the most. //“This issue is causing many elderly residents to stay in rather than go out,”// he said. //“The elderly are less mobile and are less likely to be able to wait for long periods before needing to use a toilet. Nobody wants to have to buy a drink in a pub just so they can use the toilet. It makes no sense that this scheme has not already been implemented as there are very few toilets open to the public in Haringey, which is very bad.// //The council needs to start coughing up to fund this scheme as we pay enough in council tax.”//

Haringey Council has agreed to trial a community toilet scheme starting this summer but has yet to confirm the exact start date. Matt Cooke, cabinet member for community cohesion, said: //“This is something that I personally would like to see implemented across Haringey as it would be good for the community. However we have got to get it as right as we possibly can. We have identified some funding for a trial scheme to run for 18 months starting this summer. First we have to confirm areas that will be suitable for the trial. But we are confident that the trial will be successful and hopefully we will be able to roll the scheme out borough-wide.”//

He added that the council does not anticipate that it will be a costly scheme.