COMMUNITIES are being urged to take over public toilets as South Lakeland District Council washes its hands of 30 loos in towns and villages throughout the area.

Yesterday the council’s cabinet decided to close 13 conveniences and give community groups and businesses the opportunity to run a further 17.

The council will continue to run and maintain ten toilets in key locations.

The controversial move will save the council £265,000.

It follows public consultation which found that 72 per cent of locals and 86 per cent of visitors would support “pay as you go” toilets in the district.

But leading tourism figures warned the decision could harm the industry locally.

They said that in the current financial climate, if shops, cafes and pubs did not get on board, it could have dire consequences.

“Good quality, clean and well-managed toilets are an important part of the experience visitors have here,” said Richard Greenwood, Cumbria Tourism’s Director of Development.

“Visitors also expect to find them easily after long journeys to the area.

“Considering SLDC take in the region of £4 million from the car parks that it runs across the south Lakes, it shouldn’t be unreasonable for people to expect to find a clean toilet nearby offered by the public sector without having to put their hands in their pockets again.

“Some people are prepared to pay money to use a good facility.

“But others, like families with young children, could be caught short and may not always have cash on them.

“What message does it send out to visitors if they arrive at the public toilets to find them closed?”

Clare Feeney-Johnson, environment and sustainability portfolio holder, told councillors that retained and transferred toilets would be upgraded over three years using £1.35 million from the council’s capital fund.

Coun Brendan Jameson, leader of the council, said the council had to cut costs when central Government was providing less money to local authorities.

He said: “If we don’t present a balanced budget, we are breaking the law so we need to make further savings."

Toilets at the Bridge, Coniston and Joss Lane, Sedbergh, are among 17 to be ‘mothballed’ with community groups invited to put in offers to take them on by the end of this year.

If no one comes forward, they, too, will be closed by March 31, 2011.

Coun Feeney-Johnson said taxpayers currently paid £840,323 for the 40 loos across the district.

A trial is being run in Kendal in which shops and businessses are encouraged to open their toilets to the public.

“We hope that we will end up with far more facilities than we currently have, and that those available will be far superior to the ones we have at the moment.”

Coun Graham Vincent added: “We have a plan that provides toilets and gives options for communities to take the toilets on. I think that is an absolutely adequate system for an authority of our size.”

Bill Smith, Windermere Town Council chairman, was critical of the council’s decision.

“It is premature and they have not given consideration to all of the available options.

“Toilets are important, particularly in Windermere and Bowness where we have a major tourism economy and an ageing population. Closed facilities give the wrong message to visitors.”

Cumbria’s Director of Public Health Prof John Ashton warned: “It’s vital that public conveniences do continue to exist with our ageing population and with retirees making up a significant number of the tourists choosing to visit Cumbria.”

He urged local communities to take on toilets under threat.

Click on the link below to see Westmorland Gazette's cartoonist Colin Shelbourn's take on this story.