Over the past few months, Boscastle CIC has been in discussions with Cornwall Council regarding the funding of the public toilets in the main car park. The toilets have been managed by the CIC since 2013, supported by a £12,000 annual levy collected through car park charges. However, Cornwall Council removed this levy during a recent Parking Order review, leaving a significant funding shortfall.
Following further engagement, Cornwall Councillor Carol Mould has now confirmed that:
- There is no funding available from Cornwall Council to support public toilet provision.
- The transport department will not reinstate the levy on parking or consider localised management of the car park.
- There are no further updates on future arrangements with no decisions expected before the pre-election period.
With no financial support forthcoming, Boscastle CIC will now launch a public consultation to determine what happens next. An online consultation will run until 12th March 2025 along with an opportunity for a public meeting on (EDIT) 27th March 2025 at the Annual Parish Meeting. It will ask residents, businesses, and visitors to consider options including: - Increasing the toilet entry charge and/or the Parish Council precept (council tax) to fund ongoing costs.
- Selling community assets, such as the CIC-owned minibus, to cover costs for a limited period.
- Closing the toilets permanently and returning the lease to Cornwall Council.
- Temporarily closing the toilets while further solutions are explored.
The results of the consultation will be presented and discussed at the Annual Parish Meeting on Thursday 27th March at 7pm in the Village Hall. This will be an opportunity for the community to voice their views before a final decision is made by the CIC towards the end of March.
The future of Boscastle’s public toilets is in the hands of the community.
For more information and for the online consultation, see www.boscastlecic.co.uk/consultation
📅 Online consultation closes: 12th March 2025
EDIT:📍 Annual Parish Meeting 27th March 2025 at 7pm in the Boscastle Village Hall
