West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Published: 28 March 2008
Cost of spending a penny measured in millions
• IT was disappointing to note you reported Westminster City Council was making £45,000 in revenue from public toilet charges in 2007 without mentioning the fact we spend at least £2.6 million a year on this essential service (What price spending a penny? March 14).
We are not ashamed to say we would rather charge a small fee than close public toilets, as many other councils have done.
And it seems right that those who benefit from the service should share in meeting its substantial costs.
But to be quite clear, any revenue we make from charging is greatly outweighed by a lot more council money.
Public toilets will always cost us more than any revenue they generate. Dr LEITH PENNY
Director of Environment and Leisure
Westminster City Council
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