12 public toilets to be reviewed as update issued

Wirral Council currently manages five public toilets including one at West Kirby Marine Lake (pictured)
-Credit: (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)


Wirral Council has published an update on its 12 public toilets and changing places across the borough as it "regularly and robustly" reviews the service.

Five of the toilets are managed by the local authority’s regeneration and place department and are based at West Kirby Marine Lake, Meols Parade Gardens, Leasowe Common, Harrison Drive in New Brighton, and one accessible toilet has reopened on weekends during the football season at Thornton Hough.

Seven other changing place facilities managed by the council’s neighbourhoods department are available at Europa Pools, the Beechwood Recreation Centre, Leasowe Leisure Centre, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead Park, and Wirral Country Park. A new facility at Marine Point in West Kirby is due to open in January 2025.

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These toilets are currently open, except those in Thornton Hough, from 8am to 4.30pm Monday to Sunday in the winter and from 10am to 6pm in the summer every day.

Councillors will review a report on the facilities at a tourism, communities, culture and leisure meeting on November 28. It said: “The council faces significant financial challenges in relation to balancing its budget for the 2025/26 financial year and beyond and as such, it continues to review its operational costs whilst also focusing on how it best serves Wirral residents.”

The neighbourhood’s department budgeted for £113,000 to be spent over the year and is currently on track to stay within budget with a £30,000 income target. The report said it would also look at “cost effective and efficient ways” to increase the service in the future.

The report presents a number of options for councillors to consider going forward. It could decide to keep the service as they are now or charge, which could generate income but would need equipment.

The local authority could decide to close more public toilets due to lack of use, poor repair, antisocial behaviour, and cost savings but the report said it is not being considered “at this time.” The local authority closed three public toilets on Meols Parade near Bennett’s Lane, West Kirby and in New Ferry in 2022.

The report said: “It is expected that a similar exercise would be undertaken, in addition to a report back to this committee prior to any decisions being taken regarding the operational public conveniences.”

The toilets at Thornton Hough closed in 2022 have partially reopened and toilets at Moreton Cross were later taken over by Moreton in Bloom. Community groups taking over facilities is another option the council is considering but might not always be possible.