Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110

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PUBLIC TOILET FORUM: We have mail - Public toilets: the Ratings Bill and the good Guidance from Wales!

Hi Jan,

Thank you for drawing attention to the Government's move to make Changing Places toilets compulsory in new buildings.

We have also had very good news about the decision to introduce a Bill to provide 100% mandatory business rates relief for properties in England and Wales, that are used wholly or mainly as public lavatories. Assuming the Bill has a safe passage through the parliamentary system, it will have retrospective effect from 1st April 2020.

Here is a link to the Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2020-07-16/debates/3AE310E3-BBE8-43E7-80E3-966E083BF39C/Non-DomesticRating(PublicLavatories)Bill

Also in The Cleanzine (23rd July) you published a thought-provoking letter from Jo Umbers, CEO, Bladder and Bowel Community. She stressed the importance of opening public toilets, with appropriate hygiene and social distancing measures in place, to ensure the safety of those using the facilities.

Please bring to your readers' attention the very well-written guidance released on 2nd July by the Welsh Government. This guidance is primarily for the owners and operators of toilets for public use, in compliance with the Coronavirus Restrictions Regulations.

The guidance is titled:

'Providing safer toilets for public use: coronavirus - Guidance for the safe management of toilets used by the public during the coronavirus pandemic'.

Please note, the guidance applies in Wales only. Feedback is welcome to the email address given within the document; I intend to make a few suggestions, as the document will be updated.

https://gov.wales/providing-safer-toilets-public-use-coronavirus-html

As the whole issue of public toilet provision is being taken more seriously, I think now is a good time for all interested parties to join together and lobby for a hygiene ratings system for public toilets. Thank you, Jan, for providing a forum so this issue can be debated in a responsible manner.

Kind regards,
Susan Cunningham

www.publicinconveniences.org.uk

30th July 2020