Council denies campaigner’s claims about £2m gender-neutral school toilets
A campaigner accused Brighton and Hove City Council of embarking on a multimillion-pound programme to “gender-neutralise toilets” in schools.
Laura King, from the FrIends of Brighton and Hove Citizens’ Action Group, asked what public demand there was for a £2 million project to “gender-neutralise toilets” at 21 schools over 18 months.
Without naming them, she made reference to projects such as the £300,000 contract awarded last term to turn offices into unisex toilets at Dorothy Stringer School, in Brighton.
A list compiled by the group, from published contract tenders, also cited the conversion of boys’ and girls’ toilets for mixed use.
A senior councillor flatly denied that there was a programme to “gender-neutralise” toilets, saying bluntly: “We’re not doing that.”
Ms King said: “If there is no public demand and no legislation requiring gender neutralising them, no governor or parent consultation, how can councillors account for approving £2 million from the public purse?”
She asked her question at a meeting of the full council at Hove Town Hall this evening (Thursday 2 February).
Green councillor Hannah Allbrooke who chairs the council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee, said that there was no such programme.
Councillor Allbrooke said: “We’re not doing that. I’m not sure what I can say. We’re not doing a big programme to gender-neutralise toilets.
“There is a £5 million replacement programme for toilets in school buildings but there is no grand scheme for gender-neutral toilets.”
The annual schools “capital programme” published each March showed that £665,000 had been allocated to refurbish toilets at seven primary schools in the 2022-23 budget.
The report, to the Children, Young People and Skills Committee last March, referred to separate boys’ and girls’ toilets.
Laura King at Hove Town Hall
In 2021-22, the programme committed £1.17 million to refurbish boys’ and girls’ toilets at 10 primary schools and at Blatchington Mill and Hove Park secondary schools.
And in 2020-21, the council allocated £1.3 million to refurbish toilets at Hove Park and Blatchington Mill and 11 primary schools.
The council said: “This financial year, we are spending £665,000 on refurbishing school toilets.
“We work with our schools on the form of the refurbished toilets – with some separate boys’ and girls’ toilets and some cubicles that can be used by any pupils.
“This is a collaborative approach, on a case-by-case basis, agreed with the schools, dependent on their specific requirements – and each schools’ views are taken into consideration when drawing up the plans and specification for the works.”
In July 2018, former Green councillor Amanda Knight asked what progress had been made in installing gender-neutral toilets in Brighton and Hove.
Former Labour councillor Emma Daniel gave a detailed answer including a line saying that it was believed that every local authority maintained school had accessible toilet facilities and that some had shared-use facilities.
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Common Laura stand in the May elections. I hear there’s an opening for a Tory candidate who has a detached relationship with the truth in the Wish ward.
Is it true that this independent movement in Brighton and hove is just a front for people that would otherwise be in UKIP or the Brexit Party etc(?) but know they would never get elected on that basis? Looking at the comments of some independent wannabe councillors and their supporters, you have to come to that conclusion.
Maybe it is not driven by the council but possibly being implemented by the individual schools ?
What Laura King has said was proven to be un-true, so why have you written an article about it? Seems ridiculous that you’d publish an article like this – have some standards.
Tom D
Not quite sure if that statement is correct tbh.
I’m afraid the ‘Greens’ have very short memories being they published an article during 2021 stating they were introducing G N toilets in schools.
And an own goal, in this very article states, “We work with our schools on the form of the refurbished toilets – with some separate boys’ and girls’ toilets and some cubicles that can be used by any pupils”.
Yet Green councillor Hannah Allbrooke who chairs the council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee, said that there was no such programme.
Think I tend to believe Laura on this one.
Not sure I know which side to believe, but the Greens have previously spoken positively about gender neutral toilets. There’s something to be said for having some toilets that anyone and everyone can use in a school, but ideally the staff and children should have different toilets, and girls and boys should be able to use separate boys and girls toilets safely. This is harder in a smaller primary school, but it really shouldn’t be a problem in any of our bigger schools, especially the secondaries.
More lies from the ‘Greens’ reference news article Sussex Life 2021.
Brighton & Hove City Council will discuss the roll-out of gender-neutral toilets in local schools on June 14. It comes after the publication of the Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit which looks to “support trans, non-binary and gender questioning children and young people in Brighton & Hove educational settings”.
16:48, 10 JUN 2021
Gender-neutral toilets could be coming to Brighton schools.
Brighton & Hove City Council will discuss the roll-out of gender-neutral toilets in local schools on June 14.
It comes after the publication of the Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit which looks to “support trans, non-binary and gender questioning children and young people in Brighton & Hove educational settings”.
The guide was created following consultation with trans children with many outlining a need for gender-neutral toilets rather than single-sex looks in order to combat bullying and harassment.
The Toolkit and its suggestions are set to be discussed at the Children, Young People & Skills committee on June 14.
Guidance outlines that schools should install “toilets for everyone”, described as “blocks of ceiling cubicle toilets that can be used by all, with bins for menstrual products in each cubicle”.
Chairwoman of Brighton’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee, Councillor Hannah Clare, said: “This is an important element of work to ensure all pupils in our city’s schools feel safe and supported.
Brighton Council are looking to take the step forwards after the publication of the Toolkit.
Green councillor Hannah Allbrooke who chairs the council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee, said that there was no such programme.
Can councillor Allbrooke now amend her statement…
Thanks…very helpful.
It does seem weird that the modern term ‘gender neutral’ seems to trigger anger and alarm, when in fact we all have gender neutral toilets in our own houses.
The important toilet issue here is simply that any individual needs to be able to go about their lavatory business in safety and without embarrassment, and a lock-up cubicle with floor to ceiling walls, and without ‘boys’ or ‘girls’ written on the door, achieves this, and without drama.
I’m no supporter of the fake Greens but in this case I see no evidence that they are trying to have all school toilets converted to being gender neutral as part of a widespread ‘program’. Those wanting outrage will be disappointed.
What has been suggested is that toilets that are being refurbished can be designed taking into account all needs – just as we ensure that some toilets are modernised to be wheelchair accessible.
Hopefully this is a non-political concern.
The only issue I see with gender neutral loos is where boys (or humans with penises) use them and lazily pee on a seat that the next person may want to sit on.
I’m pretty sure that no schools will be putting boys’ urinals alongside gender neutral sit down lock-ups, creating an unintentional ‘flash point’.
All teachers will already be fully aware about pupil safety and in keeping an eye open to bullying.
The only thing I’d add is that if we care about refurbishing school toilets then we should be spending similar money and energy in refurbishing and maintaining the public toilets in our city centre, seafront and parks. Gender is not the issue here, money is.
And where is the money to come from? Well, going to the toilet is a basic human need – whereas duplicating cycle lanes, or the Hanover LTN, or the remodelling of Western road, are all examples of the Greens wasting money on projects which actually have no true green outcome.
We can also blame the Tories for dishing out project-specific grants which employ their mates but which waste tax payers money. Ring-fencing budgets – or linking those budgets to specific income sources – seems to be one of the biggest mistakes of recent years.
Congrats, you managed to link toilets to cycle lanes. Impressive
The ‘Friends of Brighton and Hove Citizens’ Action Group’ (who are not to be confused with the defunct ‘Brighton & Hove Citizens’ societal coalition) – are just a rabble of Facebook users who used to complain at length about the Maderia Drive closure, and now are left just repeating new local conspiracy’s amongst themselves in an echo chamber. They have no brains, nor any shame.
Laura King is nothing but the most vocal of them.
Giving the lot of them the fuel of attention is a lot more than they deserve.
If we think of this as an architectural and biological problem…the majority of toilet use is to pee. Boys have a directional hose (!) which they can use and so urinals allow more peeing per square metre. They also can be more messy than girls…hence why there were separate boys and girls toilets. This also eliminates the possibility of boys bothering girls (or vice versa) in the toilets. Why change something that works…is this the BHCC way…spend time on diversionary activity whilst core services suffer?
The story was proven to be totally false so you can rest easy. They’re simply refurbishing the toilets and the guidance clearly states that they must retain single sex toilets.
Mick
Did you not read the article ?
In this very article states, “We work with our schools on the form of the refurbished toilets – with some separate boys’ and girls’ toilets and some cubicles that can be used by any pupils”.
Gender Neutral toilets where the ultimate in virtue signalling not so long ago doing the rounds in Brighton.However, with the justified outrage of children & parents alike “hey leave our loos alone”, there is backtracking & the usual noises from councillors etc.
The right to Female Only Single Sex Spaces i.e. Toilets are a basic Human Right, such is the need & the acceptance of Females’ unique biological & the particular needs this creates for privacy, safety & dignity that it is sacrosanct.
Single sex toilets, changing rooms in all schools must be respected, accommodations for biological sex is of the utmost importance if a so called Gender Neutral facility is introduced so be it, the question is WHY mixed sex facilities where every considered a strategy & positive progress?!!