A LARGER accessible toilet for residents

and visitors who are unable to use standard

facilities is to be built in Minehead’s Summerland

Road’s car park by the town council

as part of a joint £96,360 scheme with the

Somerset West and Taunton authority, it was

announced this week.

The district council has been allocated

the money by the department of levelling

up, housing and communities to deliver two

“Changing Places” toilets in Minehead and

Taunton.

The new facilities will include specialist

equipment such as hoists, curtains, adultsized

changing benches, and space for carers.

Minehead town council have worked in partnership

with SWT to prepare the bid.

The government has allocated £23.5m

worth of funding across 191 councils, which

will see 513 new “Changing Places” toilets

installed in public places and tourist attractions

across England.

There are currently just over 1,300 registered

‘Changing Places’ toilets in England, but

the phase one funding will bring that figure to

more than 1,800.

Chris Hall, director of place and climate

change at SWT, said: “The district council is

committed to promoting equality and improving

the quality of life for everyone, regardless

of their background or personal circumstances.

“Securing this funding means we can make

a real difference to the residents and visitors

who need to use our facilities and cannot use

standard accessible toilets.”

A spokesperson for Minehead town council

added: “We are very pleased to have a share of

this funding.

“It means local authorities can provide specialised

toilet facilities enabling everyone to

get out and about and enjoy visits to places

like Minehead.”

As co-chairs of the ‘Changing Places’ consortium,

the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK

has been campaigning for the installation of

more “Changing Places” toilets across the UK

and has been supporting the government with

this programme.

The charity will be providing specialist

expertise to support local councils that have

been awarded funding.

Robert Burley, director of care, communications

and support at Muscular Dystrophy

UK, said: “We look forward to supporting SWT

as part of our support for councils that have

been awarded the funding with their ‘Changing

Places’ toilet installations, because they

really do make a world of difference to those

who depend on them.”