Public Toilet Strategy 2013 - City of Armadale

9.2 Comparative Analysis
The City of Armadale’s peer group/neighbouring Council’s policies/practices have also been reviewed in
order to establish key trends and best practice for specific aspects of public toilet provision. For the purposes
of this report, the peer council group comprised City of Gosnells, City of Cockburn, City of Canning and Shire
of Kalamunda.
9.2.1 City of Gosnells
The City of Gosnells does not have a Public Toilet Strategy for their 13 (approx.) public toilets of which one is
a composting type located in the hills area, which exudes a pungent odour and another that is fully
automated. The latter incurs high maintenance costs given that specialist repairers are required, not a
standard plumber. Currently the City is changing over to lightless, windowless, stainless steel, and seat less
systems with the cistern placed in ducts and the toilet roll holders in locked containers. Most toilets are
cleaned and inspected daily except those in high use areas, which may be cleaned twice a day. All external
doors are protected by security cages. The measures the City has adopted has restricted vandalism to a
“limited” status.
9.2.2 City of Cockburn
The City of Cockburn does not have a Public Toilet Strategy nor do they have any automated toilets amongst
their eight stand-alone public toilets. Except in vandalism “hot spots” toilets are open 24 hours per day, the
excepted locations open at 6am and close at 8pm or 9.30pm winter and summer respectively. Vandalism is
on average at a medium to high level. In high usage locations, stainless steel pans are preferred but
traditional porcelain elsewhere.
9.2.3 City of Canning
The City does not have a Public Toilet Strategy for their 12 (approx.) public toilets. It has also historically
avoided automated and stainless steel opting for what it feels is the more cost effective porcelain toilet pans
and it will continue with its current management regime. Whilst there are some “hot spots” concerning
vandalism, in the main such is at a manageable level.
9.2.4 Shire of Kalamunda
The Shire does not have a Public Toilet Strategy nor do they have any toilet amongst their twelve standalone,
traditional style public toilets which is connected to water-borne deep sewer. All public toilets are
connected to conventional septic tanks with leach drains. Although three vandalism “hot spots” were
identified by the Shire, the level of vandalism is considered to be average.
9.3 Range of options to deliver the service
How local authorities function and the cost of directly employed and/or contract services has also changed
significantly. Labour is no longer a cheap asset. The base cost and on-costs of employing a toilet attendant
are prohibitive, as are other labour costs, which, in some cases, outweigh the cost of the ‘seat itself’.
Often a suggested solution is to charge the public, who use the facilities. However, charging for these
facilities is a complex matter. There is public resistance to charging, particularly if the facilities are not then in
pristine condition. In many circumstances, the cost of collecting, counting and transporting the money as
well as the minor discouragement to those who would wish to misuse the facility, prove this option not to be
enduring and certainly not acceptable for a service that many users already believe should be free.
Another course of action for the local authorities is Community Toilet Schemes (CTS). The local government
work in partnership with local businesses to provide access for the public to clean, safe toilets and may
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