Why we're consulting

Providing safe, clean, accessible, and inclusive public toilets is crucial in the liveability of our city for residents and visitors, supporting individual and population health and wellbeing outcomes, economic development, and tourism outcomes.

Following the May council meeting, we are seeking feedback on the Draft Public Toilet Strategy 2023-2033.

The Draft Public Toilet Strategy 2023-2033 aims to guide future service provision of public toilets in Wodonga and effectively respond to opportunities to improve access, safety, and cleanliness of existing facilities.

It details the actions council will deliver to demonstrate council’s commitment to plan for growth, strategically manage community assets and create a welcoming and inclusive city for all people.

Following consultation, community feedback will be considered before a final version of the strategy is presented back to the Council for its consideration to adopt.

The provision of quality and accessible public toilets is considered an expectation for many residents and visitors to Wodonga. Public toilets are important to strengthening health and wellbeing outcomes, community engagement, and visitation to the city.

A lack of public toilets is felt most acutely by people with specific needs, such as people with chronic health conditions, people living with a disability, older people, and parents with young children.

For these population groups, a lack of accessible and conveniently located public toilets may affect their ability to participate in community life, maintain dignity and travel freely across the city.

The Draft Public Toilet Strategy 2023-2033 (see downloands) demonstrates a strategic approach to asset management, ensuring council’s assets meet the current and future needs of community, with opportunities to improve accessibility, safety, and cleanliness of existing facilities realised.

In developing the Draft Public Toilet Strategy 2023-2033, the following process was undertaken.

• Internal stakeholder engagement - Initial planning meetings were facilitated to gauge safety and accessibility priorities of existing facilities and to identify supply gaps.
• Data review - Population growth, social demographic and crime data was collated and analysed.
• Literature review - Best-practice standards, including the Disability (Access to Premises — Buildings) Standards and Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles were reviewed. Other methods and approaches proven to be successful in other LGA’s, with capacity to be replicated were also reviewed.
• Audits - Safety and accessibility audits were undertaken on all 28 existing facilities to identify required improvements across council’s public toilet facilities to ensure consistency with the guiding principles of the strategy (see attachment 3).
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - utilising geographical intelligence, public toilets (both council owned and privately run) were mapped based on their usage, condition, opening times and 400m walking catchment area. This was then overlapped with the commercial centres, district playgrounds, district and regional passive open space, district and regional active open space, major walking trails and activity nodes were used to see where there are gaps in provision.
• Community Engagement - Between March 7, 2023, and March 27, 2023, community members were invited to input into the development of the draft atrategy, to which 51 residents responded (7 submissions, 42 survey responses, 2 comments on social media). Learn more about the first stage of consultation here.

The Draft Public Toilet Strategy 2023-2033 addresses key challenges and opportunities in public toilet provision in Wodonga and sets a strategic vision “to provide safe, clean, and accessible public toilets for Wodonga residents and visitors.”

Five objectives have been identified to achieve this vision.

1. Prioritise the safety and wellbeing of users
2. Enhance the public toilet facility user experience
3. Provide a comprehensive network of facilities in key locations
4. Ensure compliance with legislation
5. Provide equitable access to facilities through universal design principles

The Draft Public Toilet Strategy 2023-2033 has an accompanying new capital and capital upgrade plan that can be considered year-on-year as part of the annual budgets once adopted.

Ways to have your say

This consultation is open from Wednesday, May 17 to Tuesday, June 13.

Anyone who lives, works, studies or invests in Wodonga or visits the municipality and uses the facilities, is invited to review the information provided, ask questions and provide feedback during this time.

Ways to provide feedback

• Complete the online submission form below.
• Email: makewodongayours@wodonga.vic.gov.au
• Phone: (02) 6022 9300