Public toilets in parts of West Lothian are set to be scrapped as it emerged the cost of spending a penny had hit almost £16.
The cost to the council of running its 13 automatic toilets - known as APC’s or automatic public conveniences - has hit the “astonishing” figure as they are so rarely used.
And the far from flush council has now suggested it’s time to press the button on the APCs as it faces its budget deficit.
The APC’s cost the council between £24,000 and £29,000 a year per contract, making a total of £358,183 in the current financial year.
Officers argue most sites are under used. Only four of the 13 sites were used more than 5,000 times in 2018/19 - Bathgate station and town centre, Linlithgow and Livingston South railway station.
Usage required for the council to break even on its contract costs in each of the 13 APCs would be between 78,000 and 90,000 flushes a year.
Craigshill is the least used APC. The contract for that site cost the council £27,725 for 2022/23. Usage in 2018/19 was just 1,543 flushes. That works out at £15.62 per customer flush.
The staggering figures were revealed at the meeting of the Environment and Sustainability PDSP which discussed budget cut proposals.
Conservative Councillor Alison Adamson thanked officers for unveiling the figures which she branded “astonishing.”
Other expensive places to go in the county are Fauldhouse, used only 1,697 times in 2018/19 and costing the council £14.13 a go, and Armadale, used 1,838 times in 2018/19 and costing the council £13,05 a go.
The cheapest place to spend a penny, is Linlithgow. That APC cost the council £3.02 per use according to the figures.
Officers say that other existing facilities could be utilised in place of the APCs and proposed consultation with businesses and others that could act as “ comfort partners”.
The report added: “Consultation will be undertaken with equality groups and communities in the 13 APC areas as well as engaging with local businesses with regards to the comfort partner scheme.
“This will include how to increase awareness of existing publicly accessible toilet facilities as well as the promotion of comfort partners. The engagement will be undertaken by Property Services and the Property Services Manager will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate consultation is completed.”
This is the second time officials have recommended ending the contract to maintain these. The last being pre pandemic in the 2019 budget.
Councillor Adamson told the meeting: “I don’t think anyone would disagree with the fact that’s unaffordable.”
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