Communities to run public loos

9:33am Wednesday 3rd December 2008

COMMUNITY groups in Eden will soon play a bigger role in the provision of public toilets, in a bid to save the much-needed facilities.

Aware of the importance of providing public amenities in rural and tourist areas, Eden District Council (EDC) is transferring several public toilets into community-owned facilities, following talks with interested parties.

“Providing public toilets is not a statutory duty and the transfer of the toilets will help Eden to balance its budget and realign our finances to meet our main priorities such as affordable housing,” said Coun Mary Robinson, portfolio holder for community services at EDC. “In the current financial climate we have had some tough decisions to make, but this process has been >very beneficial.”

The public toilets that will be subject to the Eden Community Toilet Scheme (ECTS) are those at Nenthead, which will be maintained by Alston Moor Parish Council, Garrigill, which will be maintained by the Garrigill Village Hall Trustees, Orton Market Hall, which will be transferred to Orton Manor Court and Tebay, which will be looked after by Tebay Playground Committee.

The toilets at Shire Hall in Appleby are also being considered for community ownership, with negotiations underway with Appleby Town Council.

Councillor Robinson said that EDC has also given formal notice on the lease for the toilets at Alston Railway Station, which will be closed to the public from January 1.

“South Tynedale Railway could potentially take over the operations of the toilets in the future, if the railway station’s owner, Cumbria County Council, is open to negotiations,” she added.

As part of the transfers EDC is offering grants of up to £500 for the repair and redecoration of some of the toilets and is hopeful that the ECTS will provide adequate facilities for the area.”