LAKES Parish Council has added its voice to other councils throughout the country who are aggrieved at having to pay business rates on their public conveniences.

Lakes are supporting the National Association of Local Councils to lobby the government to remove the rates on toilets, Lakes Parish Council Newsletter reported this month.

The council took over running seven conveniences just a couple of years ago rather than see them get closed by South Lakeland District Council, because it regards toilets as an essential service to its 15 million visitors annually.

All but two of the loos charge 20p, which brings in about £45,000 towards the approximate annual cost of £68,000 and the remainder is subsidised by income from LPC’s running of White Platts recreation area and Lakes rate payers.

The 20p charge also helps towards paying central government more than £10,000 in business rates last year, a charge to which many councils object, including Lakes.

Other costs include electricity, water, cleaning and toilet rolls and the council says that without the 20p charge it would be unable to keep the toilets open.

Most of them have also been refurbished and modernised, with an upgrade programme for the remainder.