Chas Cheeseman (Jan 10) expresses concerns about costs to the taxpayer in relation to the provision of temporary toilets in Southend town centre.

He also comments on the lack of facilities for females and closes with the phrase "at this rate we will soon be part of the third world".

I reassure Mr Cheeseman and others who might share his concerns that these facilities were brought about as a result of local people identifying real problems and looking for practical solutions.

There were no highly paid consultants involved. The group that brought these toilets into being consists of representatives from the nightime licensed trade, Southend Council, the SOS Bus, the voluntary sector and the police.

This group is looking at ways to make our town centre safer and more attractive to users of the night time economy.

It is true that the facilities are not perfect, it is not a perfect world in which we live. The toilets and other initiatives under consideration by this group are subject to frequent review, a big part of this process relates to the cost involved.

I would encourage members of the local community to come forward with practical solutions rather than simply generate unproductive criticisms.

I would be glad to hear from Mr Cheeseman with any constructive ideas he may have.

Sgt Matt Bell
Licensing Officer
South Eastern Division
Essex Police

...I was shocked to read about the opening of urinals in Southend.

Chas Cheesman said "at this rate, we will soon be part of the third world". Not even in the third world do you find people urinating in public.

To find that sort of behaviour you have to look to the animal kingdom.

Could our society degrade any more?

Arif Khokhar
Eastwood Road
Leigh