In accordance with the Council’s Financial Stability Programme and the Protecting Discretionary Services Strategy, agreement was sought to devolve the public conveniences in Bexhill from Rother District Council to Bexhill on Sea Town Council (BoSTC) by April 2023, as part of the wider programme of devolution.  

The devolution of assets and services project had two phases, with phase one focussing on public conveniences in Bexhill and the second phase covering assets/services for all other local councils by April 2024. Discussions were already underway with Rye and Battle Town Councils and discussions had begun with BoSTC about other assets and services that could be devolved.  The desired outcomes of this project were to protect discretionary services for future use by the community and to reduce the Council’s net spend on discretionary services by 2025/26.

There were 14 public conveniences in Bexhill that could be devolved, listed at Appendix A to the report. BoSTC had indicated its interest in taking on all public conveniences, however, there were also ongoing discussions with two other organisations regarding the future management arrangements of the public conveniences at the Polegrove and Manor Gardens.  In 2021, the newly created BoSTC conducted a survey seeking the views of Bexhill residents on a range of issues, with over 2,000 responses; 36% wanting to see improvements to the public conveniences. 

It was noted that in order to achieve the ambitious timescale, public conveniences would be leased rather than disposed of, which provided control over potential future uses and a model lease was already available as a starting point for negotiation.  Legal Services had confirmed that there was the capacity to deliver the programme and, if necessary, additional external legal support would be commissioned.  

Members also requested that consideration be given to the installation of solar panels on any appropriate public convenience buildings as part of this project, to assist the Council in meeting its climate change decarbonisation programme which could potentially be funded through the Climate Change CIL fund.  The delivery of local services by local organisations would save money as well as the carbon footprint of the service delivery.     

The amount of revenue savings was dependent on the number of facilities transferred, ranging from £123,771.10 to £137,493.99 per annum. These figures were based on 2022/23 expenditure on contract cleaning and 2021/22 expenditure on utilities, grounds maintenance, hired and contract services, insurance and repairs only.  

It was proposed that up to £218,000 of local CIL funding collected for Bexhill between 2016 and May 2021 (prior to BoSTC being established) would be made available to BoSTC and other community organisations to enable a programme of refurbishment to be undertaken.  A one-off cost of £20,000 had also been earmarked from the Invest to Save fund, set up to enable the delivery of the Financial Stability Programme, to carry out the condition surveys for Bexhill public conveniences. 

RECOMMENDED: That

1)     the principle to transfer public conveniences in Bexhill to BoSTC on long-term leases by April 2023, be approved;

2)     up to £218,000 of local CIL funds be made available to BoSTC and other community organisations to enable the refurbishment of public conveniences; and  

3)     the Deputy Chief Executive be granted delegated authority to facilitate the devolvement and transfer of public conveniences and enter into leases, when terms are agreed, with BoSTC, and community groups, in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holders.

(Councillor Madeley declared a personal interest as a Director of the Old Town Preservation Society, and in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the meeting for the consideration thereof).