WHAT are local councils for? I ask because the actions of North Ayrshire Council (NAC) on the Isle of Arran lately, call into question the idea that councils exist to serve the public who pay for them.
On March 31pparently saving £ 35,000 – from a budget of £ 463 million – NAC closed all nine public toilets on Arran, instantly creating serious problems for residents and visitors alike.
Community groups are negotiating to take over some of the facilities and there is limited provision during working hours at Brodick, at the pier and in the library, but Lamlash, Lochranza ferry terminal and Blackwaterfoot have been left with no public toilet provision.
Already, touring coach parties are driving around ever more desperately asking hotels, tearooms and other businesses if they can please have the use of their toilet and some of NAC’s own employees have had to use hotels’ facilities, when working around the island, a situation which might be thought to breach their terms and conditions of employment.
Meanwhile, NAC’s current Labour leadership blamesthe previous (SNP) administration.
Whoever bears the responsibility, there are questions the Scottish Government should ask itself.
Is it not time local councils were statutorily obliged to provide and maintain adequate public toilets?
What is happening on Arran could be repeated all over the country as council budgets are stretched.
If that is allowed to happen, visitors to Scotland will go home with uncomfortable memories and profoundly unflattering descriptions of our country.
Mundane, unglamorous tasks – such as ensuring adequate public provision of toilet facilities – may lack the excitement of fighting another referendum campaign, but which is more relevant to the real needs of the country they were elected to govern?
Sandy MacAlister,
Shedock Farm,
Shiskine,
Isle of Arran.
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