Now call me dim, but my mobile phone site already appears on - guess what - mobile phones! Why do I need to give my database for free to someone else for them to also make it available on mobile phones and, of course make money from it? (Although I’m always offered a profit sharing deal of some sort). It doesn’t make sense.

Birmingham City Council has signed a 20 year contract to replace its traditional brick built public conveniences in the suburbs with fully automatic, self cleaning superloos. The new units provide baby changing facilities and are accessible for people with disabilities.

There was also a new contact number which has been changed in the database.

Typing in the url of websites on your mobile phone using a stylus, or using thumbs and a keypad is one of life’s most frustrating tasks.

However Microsoft have come up with ‘Tags’ which are colourful images containing data that your phone can decode to take you straight to a particular mobile website. They work in the same way as barcodes on goods in a supermarket.

You will need to download a tiny file which automatically installs on your mobile phone. Open it and your camera is activated, then point it at the Tag and you will be taken immediately to the mobile site it’s linked to.

Try it. First go to Microsoft’s mobile Tag website direct from your phone and download the application, then use your phone on the tag in this post. It should take you directly to the mobile Find a Toilet site - brilliant!

Human waste has been seen directly outside the toilets which is now going to cost the council a lot of money to clean up. Not only is the mess unsightly, smelly and unsanitary but it beggars belief that the excuse for closing them is put down (as usual) to the running costs. How much will the clean up cost? How much will the local tourist industry be hit when people come once, but don’t return because of the bad impression given by open air toilets? Could these not be weighed against the cost of keeping them open all year?

When will councils realise that we all have to go sometime and it’s their duty to provide facilities for us?

This video by the makers show you what’s involved.

Many of these loos are in car parks in towns, where they are used by locals and visitors alike. People still need toilets in the winter.

And what’s the knock on effect of closing thse toilets? In York one landlord has had enough of people coming into his pub purely to use the toilets because the public ones are closed during the winter. He says that 55 people used the toilets without buying anything from the bar in just one day! Read his story.

Of course this masks the problem because people don’t complain to the council when they actually find somewhere to go. But why should a pub landlord have to pay for the cleaning and extra supplies of loo paper etc.

In some areas community toilet schemes are being set up where the council gives local businesses money to open their toilets to the general public. However in cases such as the one above, it does seem totally unfair that some businesses through no fault of their own, should end up doing this for nothing.

However I have to say that the people using the toilets really should have the decency to offer to pay something towards their visit or buy a drink while they’re in there!

So if you visit a town without sufficent toilet provision, COMPLAIN to the council. Their numbers and email addresses are easily found on their websites and if you don’t complain, councils will always be able to say that there is no demand for toilets anyway.