A six-year battle to get a disabled Changing Spaces pod in Hailsham came to a blow recently as calls to rethink proposals for the unit were requested.
The Changing Spaces Pod is a self-contained unit which is designed to give people with severe disabilities a place to use specialist equipment and toilet facilities they need.
However, in September last year, The town council’s Asset committee decided not to progress with the project as ‘no feasibility study or operational costs had been defined’.
It was then suggested The Town Council may wish to enter into discussions with Wealden District Council to discuss their potential location of a Changing Places facility at Vicarage Field, working with them to identify solutions and timescales and investigate operational and other costs with them.
However, In the recent Hailsham Town Council meeting, Councillor Gavin Blake-Coggins put forward a motion to bring the project back into discussions – it was supported by Councillor Mary Laxton.
The cost of the pod which is around £100,00 would be paid for by Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payments, but ongoing maintenance costs for cleaning and repairs would need to come from the town councils annual budget.
On the back of the lengthy debate at the Full Council meeting last month, it was decided that Cllr Blake-Coggins should withdraw the motion, but then come back with another requesting a feasibility study to be commissioned.
