Plans to introduce a toilet tax in public facilities across a UK seaside city have sparked fury among residents and campaigners. Labour-controlled Brighton and Hove City Council outlined the budget proposals of a 50p fee at five toilets on the Sussex city’s seafront this week. Deputy leader Jacob Taylor said the plans were limited to “the really high-volume city centre” toilets and pledged to use the profits to fund capital costs.

The local authority’s Conservative group hit out at the move, however, accusing Labour of “clobbering residents left right and centre”, according to Brighton and Hove News. Tory council leader Alistair McNair said: “Just when shops and businesses are really struggling with national insurance rises, a cost of living crisis and exorbitant car parking increases, Labour brings in a charge that will hit shoppers but, more importantly in this case, the residents, the disabled [and] those with poor health and families, which will affect how they live their daily lives.”

He added: “It might only be 50p to start with, but it will quickly go up like every other tax and charge in this city.

“It’s one more thing for people to think about. And one more thing to put people off coming here.”

Youth Council member Jasmin Oquosa-Withers also criticised the toilet tax proposal, suggesting that it would put people with “protected characteristics” at a disadvantage.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “How was this flat rate justified for everyone, as it will disproportionately affect people with protected characteristics, pregnancy, menopause, menstruation and any sort of medical reason for people to go to the toilet more?”

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The council’s own “equality impact assessment” flagged similar concerns, warning that the scheme “may have a disproportionate impact on disabled people, children, older people, homeless people and general accessibility.”

The introduction of a 50p charge at five seafront toilets – Dalston’s Bastion, the Colonnade, West Pier Arches and Shelter Hall in Brighton and King’s Esplanade in Hove – could raise up to £70,000 in annual revenue for the local authority.

Mr Taylor said all other council-operated toilets would remain free of charge, while other public facilities including those in libraries could be publicised through community toilet schemes including “Use Our Loo”.

Brighton and Hove City Council is expected to vote on the proposals at an annual budget meeting on February 26.