Public toilet charges considered by Cornwall Council

Some public toilets in Cornwall are likely to close and people may have to pay to use other facilities, Cornwall Council has said.

From 1 April town and parish council will take over the running of 110 facilities from Cornwall Council.

The unitary authority will continue to look after a further 56 public toilets, but some charges may be introduced.

Discussions are continuing about a further 81, but an unspecified number could close.

Last year the unitary authority announced it had been forced to review its "non-statutory" services because of funding cuts.

It said the cost of cleaning the Duchy's 247 public toilets was costing £1m a year.

Callington, Camelford, Deviock, Downderry, Lerryn, Launceston, Millbrook, St Keverne, St Veep and Seaton are among the local councils who have agreed to take over the management of their public toilets.

Councillor Bert Biscoe said 56 facilities where "exceptional circumstances" had been identified would remain under the control of Cornwall Council.

Some public toilets may have to close, but Mr Biscoe said he he hoped the number would be kept to a "relative minimum".

He also warned that people may have to pay to use some public conveniences.

"We may have to introduce charging in some facilities in places where we have been as yet unable to reach agreement with the town or parish council," he said.

In the run-up to the hand over, Cornwall Council said it had spent £850,000 improving disabled access and providing energy and water saving measures at a number of facilities.

It has also given town and parish councils have also been given grants totalling £600,000 "to help smooth the transition".