Facilities will be improved and made more accessible at public toilets in West Bay in the coming months, and further funding has now been secured to do the same in Bridport.

Dorset Council has secured funding of £454,250 from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to provide seven more 'changing places toilets' across the Dorset Council area.

The successful bids, led by the council's Property and Assets team, will bring new changing places to several locations across the county. These are accessible facilities for those who need extra equipment and space to use toilets safely and comfortably.

The funding is part of a £30million national government programme to increase the number of changing places toilets (CPTs) nationally. There are currently 1790 registered CPTs across the country, six of which are in the Dorset Council area.

The first successful bidding process in round one, announced last March, saw funding of £244,250 allocated to Dorset Council to provide changing places facilities at West bay all inclusive play area, in partnership with Bridport Town Council, and West Bay Holiday Park, in partnership with Park Dean, as well as in Swanage and Studland.

Installation of these facilities will begin over the next couple of months.

The latest funding announcement of a further £210,000 will enable the council to work with partners to install three further changing places toilets, including at Bridport bus stattion, again in partnership with Bridport Town Council, as well as at Corfe Castle and Falmer Palmer's Farm Park.

The schedule for these installations is yet to be agreed between the council, the partners and the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

A changing places facility must include things like height adjustable adult changing benches, a ceiling track hoist, a peninsular toilet with space for two assistants, privacy screen along with practical things such as wide paper rolls, a large waste disposal bin, a back rest on the toilet seat and (preferably) a height adjustable wash basin.

Cllr Tony Ferrari, Dorset Council's portfolio holder for Assets and Property, said: "Following on from our successful bids to Government for decarbonisation of our buildings, to the Shared Prosperity Fund which replaces EU regional funding and our Levelling Up bid for Weymouth we have now successfully bid into this new Government initiative.

"I am so pleased we have been successful, making Dorset a more welcoming and safer place for our visitors and residents. Easy and pleasant access to appropriate toilet facilities can make a big difference to the enjoyment of a day out. We are really pleased that Government is investing in these important changing places."

Dorset Parent Carer Council, which is run by parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disability (SEND), added: "We were delighted to learn that Dorset Council's bid to add more changing places toilets across Dorset has been so successful. We are extremely grateful to parents and carers who took part in the survey that shaped the bid application." 

A statement from Bridport Town Council said: "We are delighted to be able to provide this much needed facility alongside our fully accessible, award winning and PiPA (Plan Inclusive Play Area) certified play and picnic area at West Bay. The changing place will enable both visitors and residents, of all abilities, to be able to enjoy the play area and all that West Bay has to offer as a destination.

"The changing place will be a new purpose-built room as an extension to the exciting toilet block, in the main West Bay Car Park."