Best Community Campaign
London Loos
@ageuklondon
Loos for Islington members outside Islington Town Hall after meeting with the Council. Photographer John McGeachy, 13th June 2023
Older campaigners calling for urgent action to undo the London ‘loo leash’!
The Campaign
Age UK London supported older people, many of them first time campaigners, to call on their local authorities to take action to improve public toilet provision. One in five people don’t leave their homes as much as they would like to because of consideration around the lack of public toilets, which have been declining in number for decades.
This is known as the ‘loo leash,’ which can exacerbate social isolation for some people. As part of ‘Loos for Barnet,’ ‘Loos for Haringey,’ ‘Loos for Islington,’ ‘More Loos for Merton’ and ‘Loos for Southwark’, older campaigners conducted toilet audits, made deputations, held meetings with Cabinet Members, organised petitions, and more to help persuade councils to act.
Campaigners decided what action they would call on their council to take and how they would campaign. The campaign has also seen research published and a conference for council staff.
@ageuklondon
More Loos for Merton outside Merton Civic Centre after presentation to Scrutiny Committee. Photographer Lauren Peek, 4th April 2023
We’re delighted that campaigners leading action in their boroughs have been recognised this way. Good public toilet provision is a hallmark of a civilised society. We have been priviledged to work with so many brilliant campaigners and we are immensely proud of them.”
More Loos for Merton outside Merton Civic Centre after presentation to Scrutiny Committee. Photographer Lauren Peek, 4th April 2023
We’re delighted that campaigners leading action in their boroughs have been recognised this way. Good public toilet provision is a hallmark of a civilised society. We have been priviledged to work with so many brilliant campaigners and we are immensely proud of them.”
The Change
Improving public toilet provision in 2024 is not easy. It’s about availability, accessibility, contracts, maintenance, public information, and much more (not least funding). Despite this, campaigners have achieved tangible successes, which should make a difference in the long-term.
In Haringey, campaigners persuaded the Council to develop a public toilet strategy and they now sit on the steering group. In Merton, campaigners helped persuade the Council to relaunch a Community Toilet Scheme and they will work with an officer who has been recruited. In Islington, campaigners persuaded the Council to publish a map of loo locations, which will be available in hard copy from libraries in the borough. In Southwark, campaigners have been meeting councillors and providing evidence for a scrutiny report that will recommend a public toilet strategy and a new Community Toilet Scheme.
The campaigners have put the need to improve provision firmly up the political agenda and the campaign continues to gain momentum.
The Future
The campaign moves into an exciting phase in 2024, with councils being held to account for the action they pledged. New campaign groups will be established and supported by existing campaigners. London Loos will be publishing new research and working with new partners to call for pan-London action to improve public toilet provision.
Who else was involved?
The Toilet Manifesto for London Group
London Councils
