Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey Residents Demand Toilets
Press release from Haringey Federation of Residents Associations:
The Haringey Federation of Residents Associations this week, in a letter to the Leader of the Council, called for the for the immediate implementation of the agreed Community Toilets Scheme in Haringey. The Federation believe (see quote below) that there is no need for any further 'scandalous' delays to what is a long-awaited and popular scheme in place in other boroughs and backed by the GLA. The Council promised in June that the scheme would be 'under way' during the summer of 2009. However, Council officers told the Federation this week that they are still at the 'research and options' stage.
The Community Toilets Scheme is one where the public have free access to toilets in cafes, pubs and other commercial and public buildings all over Haringey - by agreement with those running such venues. The Scheme is highly successful in other boroughs and backed by the GLA.
Following extensive lobbying from the Haringey Federation of Residents Associations and the Haringey Forum for Older People over the previous 18 months, Cllr. Matt Cooke (the LBH Cabinet member responsible for regeneration) said at the beginning of June 2009:
"Far from simply talking about providing better public access to toilets Haringey Council has agreed to trial a community toilet scheme starting this summer. We want to see this scheme implemented across Haringey as it's good for the community and has been proven to be good for business in the areas which have tried it. It’s important we get the scheme right which is why we’re funding an 18-month trial this summer. We’re confident that the trial will be successful and the final scheme can be top-notch."
Cllr. Cooke added that the Council also does not anticipate that such a scheme will be costly.
The Council promised it would be under way by the summer of 2009, but has not yet managed to get it up and running. On 10th November the Federation was told that officers responsible for launching the Scheme have got bogged down at the ‘research and options’ stage for the last 6 months. This will have disappointed a lot of people.
On 11th November the Federation wrote back to the officers responsible, as well as the Council Leader (Cllr. Kober), asking for a report on what the options currently being considered are, what the research has shown, and what exactly the challenges are considered to be.
The Federation have offered to advise and help get the scheme implemented very quickly. They are calling on everyone to insist on immediate action to launch the Scheme.
Dave Morris, Federation secretary, said today: "Following over a year of lobbying by residents groups the Council finally agreed to back our proposal and have it up and running over the summer. The much-needed and long-awaited Scheme is already in place in other boroughs, so it would be scandalous to delay it any further. We are calling on all residents and community groups to contact the Council insisting on immediate action. "
Dave Morris - HFRA Secretary
email: info@haringeyresidents.org
020 8211 0916
The Haringey Federation of Residents Associations this week, in a letter to the Leader of the Council, called for the for the immediate implementation of the agreed Community Toilets Scheme in Haringey. The Federation believe (see quote below) that there is no need for any further 'scandalous' delays to what is a long-awaited and popular scheme in place in other boroughs and backed by the GLA. The Council promised in June that the scheme would be 'under way' during the summer of 2009. However, Council officers told the Federation this week that they are still at the 'research and options' stage.
The Community Toilets Scheme is one where the public have free access to toilets in cafes, pubs and other commercial and public buildings all over Haringey - by agreement with those running such venues. The Scheme is highly successful in other boroughs and backed by the GLA.
Following extensive lobbying from the Haringey Federation of Residents Associations and the Haringey Forum for Older People over the previous 18 months, Cllr. Matt Cooke (the LBH Cabinet member responsible for regeneration) said at the beginning of June 2009:
"Far from simply talking about providing better public access to toilets Haringey Council has agreed to trial a community toilet scheme starting this summer. We want to see this scheme implemented across Haringey as it's good for the community and has been proven to be good for business in the areas which have tried it. It’s important we get the scheme right which is why we’re funding an 18-month trial this summer. We’re confident that the trial will be successful and the final scheme can be top-notch."
Cllr. Cooke added that the Council also does not anticipate that such a scheme will be costly.
The Council promised it would be under way by the summer of 2009, but has not yet managed to get it up and running. On 10th November the Federation was told that officers responsible for launching the Scheme have got bogged down at the ‘research and options’ stage for the last 6 months. This will have disappointed a lot of people.
On 11th November the Federation wrote back to the officers responsible, as well as the Council Leader (Cllr. Kober), asking for a report on what the options currently being considered are, what the research has shown, and what exactly the challenges are considered to be.
The Federation have offered to advise and help get the scheme implemented very quickly. They are calling on everyone to insist on immediate action to launch the Scheme.
Dave Morris, Federation secretary, said today: "Following over a year of lobbying by residents groups the Council finally agreed to back our proposal and have it up and running over the summer. The much-needed and long-awaited Scheme is already in place in other boroughs, so it would be scandalous to delay it any further. We are calling on all residents and community groups to contact the Council insisting on immediate action. "
Dave Morris - HFRA Secretary
email: info@haringeyresidents.org
020 8211 0916
Tags for Forum Posts: public toilets
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Another of my pet subjects!
Well done HFRA. Will draft a letter asap.
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Celebrate World Toilet Day by writing a letter of support for the Community Toilets Scheme in Haringey!
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Permalink Reply by Margaret Fowler on
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I'm terribly sorry but I can not get my head around the Community toilet idea. I have more to concern me than where I go to the toilet in Haringey, where I can get my medical support or how we keep our carbon emmissions down for instance. Maybe it's because I don't have a dodgy bladder in my old age yet! I don't have a problem finding the toilet in Wood Green Shopping City, Marks & Spencers, BHS, Tesco's in Seven Sisters, Sainsbury's at the Arena, the local Public Libraries, pubs and cafes where I've stopped off for a drink with a friend while out shopping or going to the theatre or cinema.
I remember only too well the several dodgy Public Toilets around the Borough in the 70s and 80s with dubious cleanliness, staff and clientel. It takes a lot of money to keep a toilet clean and decent in a park and this should be very carefully looked at.
We really are becoming a nanny state!!!
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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excuse me Margaret.. but was that Fowler or Thatcher speaking..?? I can't believe I read that..
Nanny state? I would have thought it is more a sign of how civilised a country is. as to whether amenities are provided or not..
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I'm not sure we are 'becoming a nanny state' by asking for a basic human need to be accessible. After all the Victorians and Edwardians felt it was a matter of civic pride to have decent amenities
If you are fortunate enough not to have to worry, all well and good, but lots of people do have problems or are taking out young children barely out of nappies for whom a sprint to Shopping city or up to the Arena might be a sprint too far. Finding an amenity on Green Lanes is hard although I probably would rely on the good will of the local cafes, it would be nice to know that we wouldn't be turned away.
As I've suggested before, we could have a scheme where you could register and perhaps receive some kind of special card to request use of the facilities. I'd be willing to pay a small sum if necessary.
I feel I can care about more than one thing at a time and one should not exclude the other. Cutting Carbon is important, medical care is important and I would argue that for some part of that medical support is being able to go out and find somewhere to spend a pennny.
Finally, as Steve suggests, I actually think it is a sign of true civilisation to be able to use a decent loo.
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I have been a mother of 4 young children and am a grandmother of 4 young children. We spend a large part of the day shopping and walking in the various parks in Haringey and in the library. A bit of family discipline and toilet preparation before leaving home is beneficial I find and it isn't so far from Turnpike Lane to Shopping City or form the Salisbury to The Arena.
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As I am a New Zealander who has the misfortune to live in Haringey, my family will totally disregard your comment, it has no relevance to our mindset. My husband has the name Fowler because he was born in Suffolk where is is a name of long standing and I take no no notice of petty quips about meaningless comments.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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Margaret, I mean this in the nicest possible way but you are extremely unlikely to be declined any available toilet facilities.
Others are not so lucky, and we're not just talking about keeping your thighs together. Crohn's disease sufferers and people with IBS will get a lot more than wet knickers should they not be able to get to a toilet when the need arises.
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My best friend does has Crohn's Disease of long standing, and plays it down as much as possible. He comes to the theatre, concerts etc. and copes in his own sensible way. He also knows where the available toilets are in Haringey and has no problems as far as I know in accessing them. He even has a special key to the disabled toilets in Wood Green and Wetherstones Pub in Wood Green.
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Well if all these places can organise a Community Toilet scheme, I'm not clear why, yet again, the people of Haringey should miss out.
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Permalink Reply by DavidJ on
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Sounds like a good idea to me. Just because 1 person does not wish for a community toilet scheme, does not mean the rest of Haringey should be denied.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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This refers to the "Gentlemen's " facilities - obviously I don't know how it applies to the Ladies' - but ..
I occasionally use the toilets at St Ann's Road, Turnpike Lane or Crouch End. Invariably some disturbed ( to put it kindly ) individual has strewn the toilet paper all over the floor, shoved plastic bags and/or beer cans down the WC, or smeared excrement over the walls. Additionally, the walls are covered in dubious telephone numbers and explicit suggestions.
The WC cubicles are often occupied for long periods by someone smoking, shooting up, sleeping off a binge, or negotiating with his lover of the moment.
What pub, cafe or boutique is going to allow their facilities to be used by the kind of public ( male ) we have in Haringey ? But will the Council use the introduction of the Community Toilets Scheme as an excuse to close the few Public Conveniences that remain ? We already see too many men urinating against lamp posts and up against walls.
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