Toilets closure stinks, say villagers (From Wiltshire Times)

Toilets closure stinks, say villagers

11:35am Saturday 31st March 2007 in Corsham By Victoria Ashford

RESIDENTS have expressed their outrage at proposals to close public toilets in a village near Chippenham.

The protest has arisen after North Wiltshire District Council announced they will be closing public toilets in Biddestone from today.

Members of the parish council have expressed their concern and said they believe the closure will cause a problem for tourists during the summer.

Cllr Tim Smith, parish council chairman, said: "We are a tourist village. We get a lot of people coming here to look around and without the toilets there will be nowhere for the visitors to go.

"The people who come into the village need these facilities but the council told us they can use the toilets in the pub, which is completely inappropriate."

Another proposal put to the parish was that the toilets could be handed over to them to look after.

Cllr Smith said: "We have very effective and clean toilets in the village which they want to close or give to us to run. We think, on the figures they gave us and allowing for maintenance and refurbishment, it would cost about £6,000 a year.

"We are protesting because we feel it's the district council's duty to provide the services. These toilets are used by a whole number of travellers and workmen in the area."

The district council is closing public toilet blocks in several villages and towns, including Box and Lyneham, as a moneysaving exercise.

The parish council has won the backing of Wiltshire County Council leader and district councillor Jane Scott.

She said: "I definitely support the parish's cause because closing the toilets might be all right for a large area but when you come down to a very small village like Biddestone then it's not feasible for them to have to fund it.

"It's not a public convenience for the locals, it's for those travelling in. I feel very strongly about it, that is what council tax is for, to provide these key public services."

District councillor Helen Dixon, who is the portfolio holder responsible for the decision, said: "Every parish council was offered funding to bring the toilets up to an acceptable level to help get them started. All they would have to pay for is for someone to clean the toilets."

One option suggested by the district council was to provide funding for the first couple of years towards maintenance and provisions.

This, the council hoped, would give the parishes time to adjust their council tax to raise enough money for when they took control of the toilets.