Public toilets must stay open, say south Shropshire councillors

South Shropshire town councillors say it is vital that public toilets remain open, following an announcement by Shropshire Council that it will close most of the facilities it runs by April 2011 in a cost-cutting drive to save £230,000.

The council is in discussions with town and parish councils to take over the running costs.

Councillor John Aitken, mayor of Ludlow, said: "The town council believe it is absolutely vital that the toilets remain open. We need to have serious discussions with Shropshire Council about the terms on which these obligations are shifted to the town council because there are cost implications. The timescale is pretty difficult to accommodate but we will be in discussions."

Councillor Bob Welch, mayor of Church Stretton, said it was "not really an option" for a tourist town like his to close its toilets.

He said: "We have formed a councillor working party to look at revenue costing and revenue raising services run by Shropshire Council that the council might be willing to take on."

Councillor Keith Pinches, mayor of Bishop's Castle, said: "We already run the toilets under the town hall, but they've given us the option of running the ones by the cattle market. It costs us £7,000 a year for the one lot of toilets."

Councillor Pinches said they could not let the toilets close as they were by a car park used by tourists.

Councillor Clive Leworthy, chairman of Craven Arms Town Council said: "We have been discussing it, but until they made the decision, we were waiting. We will be discussing it at our January meeting."