Agenda item

For Members to consider any petitions with more than 200 signatures for which a request has been received for their presentation, in accordance with the Council’s petition rules and Standing Order 66.

Members are asked to note that the following petition is due to be presented at the meeting:

Reopen public toilets in Roundwood Park

The supporting details on the petition have been attached, for reference.

The Mayor advised that he had also accepted a request for the presentation of a petition at the meeting, which had met the threshold for consideration at Full Council based on it containing more than 200 signatures.

The petition to be presented related a campaign in support of reopening the public toilets in Roundwood Park, with the Mayor advising that unless otherwise indicated by members, he intended to allow up to five minutes for the presentation of the petition by Amandine Alexandre (as lead petitioner) before then providing the relevant Cabinet Member up to two minutes to respond on the matter and then providing any other members who indicated they would like to speak with an opportunity to contribute (within the overall time limit available).

(1)    Campaign to reopen the public toilets in Roundwood Park

As no objections were raised on the approach outlined, the Mayor welcomed Amandine Alexandre to the meeting to present the petition.

In thanking the Mayor for the opportunity to present the petition, Amandine Alexandre began by introducing herself as a longstanding resident of Brent and active member of her local community as well as someone who regularly enjoyed using Roundwood Park not only with her family but also friends as one of the only major green spaces within Harlesden.  In highlighting the importance in maintaining as wide an access as possible to the park, it was unfortunately felt that the park, since 2022, had lost much of its attraction to local people as a result of the more limited accessibility due to the public toilets located at the back of the Veolia depot, being closed by the Council.

Reference was made to the concern this had caused many park users, with local residents having contacted the Council leadership and local councillors to highlight the need to provide a working public toilet facility as an essential and absolute requirement for a park the size and popularity of Roundwood with the impact of the closure becoming more acute in terms of the antisocial and unhygienic behaviour it encouraged.

As a result of a long running campaign seeking the reinstatement of the toilets, Amandine Alexandre advised she had, as a trustee of Harlesden Neighbourhood Forum, met with the Park Service and been advised that the closure had been due to anti-social behaviour with the lack of funding available to enable the reprovision of the toilets in another location in the park where the facilities would be less likely to attract as much vandalism and antisocial behaviour highlighted as a key challenge.  It was pointed out that with no action, the negative impact created by the closure and lack of suitable alternative provision had increased frustration amongst residents and park users with the lack of toilet facilities continuing to have what was felt to be a detrimental effect on most park users including the elderly, parents with children as well as the disabled and those with other health issues.  This impact was felt to be an even greater issue for women who, it was highlighted, already spent less time using park facilities, with the lack of provision therefore felt to increase the detrimental impact on their health and sense of well-being and access to more accessible green space provision.

Given the concerns outlined, residents had recently gathered in the park to call for the re-opening of the public toilets with the response provided by the Lead Cabinet Member encouraging use the toilets in Roundwood Lodge Café as alternative provision felt to be unacceptable.  Those in support of the petition had felt this response failed to understand that the cafe toilets would not provide a suitable replacement for public toilets and that the ongoing closure was creating a wider health issue for residents.

Given the Council had now approved a £3m investment in Green Corridors across Roundwood and Church End focussed around encouraging more use of Roundwood Park and in seeking to address wider health inequalities, Amandine Alexandre advised that the petitioners were calling in the Council, as part of the investment programme, to consider either refurbishing and re-opening the existing public toilets or providing a new facility in a different, better location in the park where there would be a reduced risk of anti-social behaviour to maximise the impact of the investment for local residents.

In summing up, it was hoped members would listen and take account of the views being expressed by residents in the Harlesden and Kensal Green area, who it was felt deserved to be able to enjoy the widest rather than any more restricted access to their local park.

The Mayor thanked Amandine Alexandre for presenting the petition and then invited Councillor Krupa Sheth, as Cabinet Member for Public Realm and Enforcement to respond.

In response, Councillor Krupa Sheth began by thanking Amandine Alexandre and the other signatories of the petition for taking the time to make their views known.  In acknowledging the issues highlighted in terms of the toilets in Roundwood Park, the opportunity was taken to outline the efforts made to identify a constructive solution, working with the local ward councillors in Harlesden and Kensal Green and Roundwood recognising the importance and priority to ensure Roundwood Park remained accessible to as many people as possible.

Despite years of unprecedented financial pressure, it was felt the local challenges identified had been recognised including, it was pointed out, significant investment being made to improve the playground in the park with a major upgrade of play equipment and Councillor Krupa Sheth expressing pride that this upgrade had included the introduction of a range of accessible play equipment so that young people with disabilities could also enjoy the space.  Whilst it was acknowledged that the reopening of the toilets would make the park even more accessible, and was something supported by the Council, the need to balance this against the associated cost implications was also highlighted as a key issue for consideration.  As additional context in terms of the approach adopted, Councillor Krupa Sheth felt it important to remind members of the instances of significant damage and vandalism the toilets had experienced over many previous occasions, often having just been repaired and reopened resulting, once again, in the actions of a small group of individuals ruining the enjoyment of a park recently awarded Green Flag status for so many.  Highlighting the Council’s financial responsibility, however, it was also not currently seen as an effective use of resources (given the other competing pressures on the Councils funding) to continue the cycle of refitting and reopening the toilets only to have to close and repair them once again soon after.

Recognising the concerns expressed, however, it was pointed out that officers continued to work with local ward councillors across Harlesden & Kensal Green and Roundwood in seeking a suitable design solution that would not be so easily vandalised and would be truly accessible for all residents across the area on which Councillor Krupa Sheth advised, in closing her response, residents would continue to be engaged.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Krupa Sheth for her response and, with no other members indicating they wanted to speak on the petition, advised that concluded consideration of the item.