Council told ‘toilet access is a human right’ amid plans for Camden toilet charges
Green councillor Sian Berry. Picture: Nigel Sutton. - Credit: Nigel Sutton
Camden’s only Green Party councillor has criticised plans to introduce a charge for the use of public toilets, insisting access to a toilet is a human right.
Highgate councillor Sian Berry said the council’s proposal to levy an entry fee on each of the borough’s public toilets was an “absolutely terrible idea when we have an ageing population”.
The proposal is part of the counci’s efforts to plug a £70million budget gap over the next three years.
Cllr Berry said: “Not being able to go to toilet is pretty much against your human rights. Putting a charge on it has to be a last resort.
“There’s always the question of asking people if they would rather spend a little more on council tax – £1 a month more – rather than 50p every time you want to go to toilet!
“I think there’s got to be a fairer way than penalising people who may have medical problems.”
Camden’s nine council-run public toilets cost £200,000 to maintain annually, the equivalent of one council library.
Most Read
- 1 Fences and padlocks at Primrose Hill once again
- 2 Alleged stalker sent '1,000 emails in a month’ to The Crown star Claire Foy
- 3 Fans pray for Bosco 'and his big stick' as he goes into surgery
- 4 Crouch End Festival: 'Back with a bang bigger than ever'
- 5 Family pay tribute to schoolgirl at West Hampstead bridge restoration
- 6 Covid admissions on the rise at north London hospitals
- 7 Golders Green school hosts reunion ahead of closure
- 8 Royal Free denies allowing Tory MP to influence medical decision
- 9 Crime writer: Why I'm donating royalties to Dogs Trust
- 10 Heath patrols to increase after fisherman robbed at knifepoint
Camden finance chief Cllr Theo Blackwell said the council faced the choice of either introducing charges or closing public toilets altogether, in order to deal with swingeing government cuts.