Letter: City centre public toilets

PIcture shows a view of Sheffield's new public toilets from Rockingham Street, as the latest update on the scheme is unveiled

I do think that Mr Gill ought to do his homework before writing to The Star complaining about Sheffield Council’s failure to provide public toilets in the city centre.

There is no legal requirement for Sheffield Council to provide such public toilets.

There is no legislation that has been passed by governments to require Sheffield Council to provide those facilities.

Each year the council receives a substantive sum of money in its Government Rate Support Grant. (Currently around £500 million pounds, and was around £1,000million in 2010 before the Conservatives came to Government. This £500m doesn't even take into account the inflation of the last thirteen years).

The Rate Support Grant is there to provide the finance for Sheffield City Council to meet its legal requirements, for services set by governments in the past.

None of RSG money can be used for the payment of toilet services.

Sheffield does receive income from other sources.

Over 13 years of austerity, Councillors have then to decide how that money is allocated and used.

Do Councillors vote to provide city centre toilets and limit money made available to fund further services for our children in care, those with disabilities or with mental illness, or our elderly?

Maybe Mr Gill could advise our hard working councillors what criteria they should use to make those decisions? The additional care of people groups or toilets used by a small group of Sheffield citizens.

Phil Proctor

Sheffield, S11