Spending a penny will soon cost 20p in Wolverhampton
West Park, Ashmore Park, Wednesfield, Tettenhall, Bilston Market and the Falkland Crescent coach station – these are the public conveniences in Wolverhampton that could soon be seeing their prices double.
The city council is considering increasing fees from 10p to 20p at the six conveniences – as well as bringing in new 20p charges to use the currently-free public toilets opposite Beatties.
Councillors are due to discuss the proposals and send them out to public consultation at a meeting tomorrow.
It is hoped the plan will raise an extra £42,000 in 20116/17 for the cash-strapped council as it faces making £24 million of cuts.
Finance boss, Councillor Andrew Johnson, said: "The proposal is to charge 20p for all of them and that should raise the amount.
"We are also looking at opening hours of Tettenhall Pool and Ashmore Park toilets to try and reduce the cost.
"We have got to try and somehow reduce the budget.
"We don't want to close them, but we are looking at charging.
"This is putting it out to consultation and see what people say about that.
"We have got to balance the books so that is what is driving it.
"But hopefully people will say it is reasonable to have a charge for public conveniences to keep them in being.
"I would rather have a toilet that people can use and have to pay a few pence for it than not have one.
"This is all for consultation, we want to get people's feedback."
At tomorrow's cabinet meeting, members will discuss the draft budget which outlines proposed cuts to services.
Members will be asked to approve a programme of proposed cuts to put out for a 12-week public consultation.
The authority has already slashed £160m over the past four years and it estimates it will need to save £46m over the next three years, with £24m of that to be made in 2016/17.
The proposed cuts of £24m will come from a combination of savings, more efficient ways of working and income generating proposals.
The authority is making its budget with current information, however, it has said the figures could change significantly depending on the outcome of the Government's spending review later this year.
Cuts outlined include taking £820,000 from older people's services as well as slashes in grants for the Grand Theatre and Light House Media Centre.
