Project objective

We’re reviewing Bayside’s Public Toilet Strategy to guide Council’s approach to managing and improving public toilet facilities over the next four years (2024-2028).

The Public Toilet Strategy is the Council’s principal document for managing and investing in public toilets and Changing Place facilities throughout Bayside.

Public toilets provide a significant community benefit, supporting the use of Bayside’s open space, foreshore, recreational, and business precincts.

Council currently manages 68 public toilet facilities including two Changing Places facilities for people with higher and complex needs.

The Strategy summarises how Council manages and maintains public toilets and Changing Places facilities to meet the needs of the Bayside community. It also includes a four-year capital works program for new, upgraded, and replacement public toilets throughout Bayside.

The key output of the four-year strategy is to propose a program of works that will focus on improving facilities that are considered to be poorly performing and/or in high-profile locations where an upgrade will deliver the greatest community benefit.

A further objective of the Strategy is to centralise planning for adult change facilities, of which Changing Places are typically the preferred option. Changing Places are specialist high-needs facilities for people with complex disabilities and may include specialised features such as a hoist, table, and shower.

Project impacts

Public toilet facilities continue to provide an important public amenity to the residents and visitors of Bayside. Under the previous Public Toilet Strategy 2019-2023, Council delivered several new public toilets alongside minor work in existing facilities. Changing Places have been of particular interest to the community, and under the previous Strategy, Bayside’s first Changing Places were delivered in Thomas Street Reserve and Well Street carpark.

Additional public toilets were also delivered throughout Bayside under other programs such as the Sportsground Pavilion Improvement Plan and Open Space Masterplans.

A number of key opportunities have been identified in the review of the Public Toilet Strategy:

Equity and Inclusion

In line with the Council Plan themes of inclusion, the Public Toilet Strategy identifies a number of ways in which Council facilities may be made more accessible and inclusive for all those who live, work, and visit Bayside.

In recent years, Council has replaced older public toilets with facilities that meet modern accessibility requirements and are gender neutral. It is recommended that this practice be expanded upon by continuing to replace older facilities, exceeding basic accessibility requirements, and updating signage to remove barriers to broader participation.

Changing Places

Changing Places are an important asset and allow people with high support needs and their carers to plan and enjoy various activities throughout Bayside. There are now two public Changing Places in Bayside, with three more proposed or under consideration.

To prioritise locations for Changing Places new facilities are recommended to satisfy the following criteria:

  • The new location supports a Council facility, open space, an important asset and allows or recreational reserve or activity centre.
  • There is available Council land for a new public toilet, and it can be appropriately located from a safety (CPTED) perspective.
  • The facility can be reasonably constructed and maintained by Council’s contractors.
  • The facility supports a range of activities (e.g. playgrounds, recreation, foreshore, commercial activity) and there is no other Changing Place facility within 2km.


Capital Works

The Strategy proposes the following capital works based on an audit of Council’s existing public toilet facilities:

Replacement of the Brighton Beach (Southern Terrace) Public Toilet with a new facility in the same location. The new facility will have greater capacity, an accessible cubicle, and replacement of existing outdoor shower and drinking fountain amenities.

Replacement of the Balcombe Road Carpark Public Toilet with a new facility in the same location with greater capacity and an accessible cubicle. This facility has reached the end of its useful life, has numerous maintenance issues, and is not compliant with modern accessibility standards.

Replacement of the Beaumaris Concourse Carpark Public Toilet with a new facility in the same location but with greater capacity. This facility is in poor condition, suffers from maintenance issues, and may experience capacity issues.

Replacement of the Ricketts Point Bluestone Public Toilet with a new facility in the same location.

A small budget is also proposed for minor works to existing public toilets which have not yet reached the end of their useful life, but which do not meet modern accessibility requirements.

It is expected that the proposed facilities can be reconstructed within existing building footprints, and losses to significant vegetation can be avoided.


What information do we need from the community?

Council is seeking feedback from the community around its approach to the management and improvement of public toilets. Council will use these criteria in the planning of new facilities and improving older facilities.

Of particular interest is what the community looks for in a public toilet and what criteria is the most important.

What can the community influence?
  • Types of areas which benefit most from a public toilet (such as urban, park, foreshore)
  • Internal fit out (sharps and sanitary bins, improved accessibility, lighting etc)
  • Aspects of public toilets that are most important to the community to inform a four-year program of works
  • How public toilets are managed (cleaning, maintenance)
  • Locations to consider for new toilets
  • Where Changing Places/high-needs facilities should be located (assessment criteria)
What can’t the community influence?
  • Aspects which are tied to design standards. This may include aspects which make a facility compliant with accessibility requirements, Australian Standards, Building Code standards, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Council policies etc.
  • Capital works budget

Stakeholders and community

This stakeholder assessment is a generalised understanding of sections of the community that have a connection to the project or matter. This information is used to understand the types of tools and techniques that will achieve the strongest and most effective outcomes for engagement and communication.

Impact: What level of change the stakeholder / community segment may experience as a result of the project / matter

Interest: What level of interest has been expressed or is anticipated

Influence: Reference to the IAP2 Spectrum

Stakeholder / community

Impact

Interest

Influence

Public toilet users

H

M

Consult

Advisory groups:

Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee; Bayside Healthy Ageing Reference Group

H

H

Involve

People with a disability

H

H

Consult

Gender diverse people

H

H

Consult
Residents who live close to a public toilet site H M Consult
Trader’s associations M M Consult
Broader Bayside community L L Consult
Visitors to Bayside L L Consult
Victorian Government (DEECA, Parks Victoria) L M Inform


Selected tools and techniques

The tools and techniques selected for this project are informed by the project content, stakeholders and type of feedback sought.

Key tools for communicating the project

  • Email notification to Have Your Say members and previous toilet strategy project subscribers
  • Website news story and This Week in Bayside e-newsletter
  • Social media posts
  • Signage promoting the engagement placed in public toilets
  • Direct emails to key stakeholder groups, including Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee, Bayside Healthy Ageing Reference Group.
  • Digital screens at the Corporate Centre and Brighton Library

Key methods for gathering feedback

  • Online engagement through Have Your Say, including opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback
  • Phone, postal and email correspondence
  • Face-to-face engagement at Bayside Autum Fest events.
  • Meetings with key stakeholders and advisory committees.
  • Printed survey and consultation materials available on request.

Project timelines

  • Community consultation on draft Public Toilet Strategy
    26 February – 2 April 2024
  • Consideration of community feedback and amendments to the draft Public Toilet Strategy as required
    April 2024
  • Council to consider report on community feedback and adoption of Public Toilet Strategy.
    May 2024.

Decision-making process

Community and stakeholder consultation on the draft Public Toilet Strategy will be held for a 4-and-a-half-week period from Monday 26 February – Tuesday 2 April 2024.

Community feedback will be collated and presented to Council for their consideration and amendments will be made to the draft Public Toilet Strategy, as required.

It is expected that a report on community feedback and the revised Public Toilet Strategy 2024-28 will be considered for adoption by Council at its May 2024 meeting.

The agenda for this meeting, including the community engagement report and Council Officer's recommendation in relation to the Public Toilet Strategy, will be published on Council's website on the Wednesday prior

Select the blue +Subscribe button at the top of the page to receive project updates, including when it will be considered at Council meetings.

All Council meetings are live-streamed via Council’s website. Community members can also ask a question or request to be heard at this meeting.

More information

If you would like more information, please contact Bruce Robertson, Senior Asset Engineer, 9599 4391 or brobertson@bayside.vic.gov.au