Teignbridge loos face closure or charges

Will the plans be flushed out?

Villagers trying to save their local loo have urged councillors to give it a reprieve.

The public toilet at Starcross is on a Teignbridge Council hit list of 17 local loos that could close if nobody comes forward to take them on.

The council, which does not have to provide toilets by law but does so as a public service, says it could save more than a quarter of a million pounds every year by giving away or closing the 17 toilets.

All have scored poorly in a system which took into account usage, costs and ‘strategic importance’.

Only seven of the council’s toilets scored highly enough to pass the threshold – two each in Dawlish, Dawlish Warren and Newton Abbot, and one at Shaldon.

But although the toilets in Starcross failed to make the grade, they are well used by people going to and from live music events at nearby Powderham, and the parish council says they are worth keeping.

A decision on their future will be taken at a full Teignbridge Council meeting on July 29.

The parish council says that as they are on the main road linking Exeter to Dawlish Warren and beyond, they are an important stop for delivery drivers and working people as well as casual road users. They are also on a main cycle route.

“The importance of this facility for female cyclists needs to be especially considered as women are disproportionately affected by things like provision of toilets,” said a parish council spokesman.

The spokesman also said closing the toilets would discourage activity when Teignbridge has been keen to promote active lifestyles.

And, a statement from the parish council points out: “The elderly, disabled and those with medical conditions who are potentially more likely to be using public transport are discouraged from independent living when public toilets are unavailable.”

Teignbridge says it does not want to close any of its toilets, and would prefer to hand over the running of them to local town and parish councils. Starcross Parish Council says it is open to discussions.

A report to the meeting of the full council says: “The decision to reduce any valued service provided by the council is a difficult one.

“The impacts of the proposed future public convenience provision in the district must be balanced with the council’s requirement to remain financially viable. Every effort will be made to support the transfer of facilities to town and parish councils, or alternative providers, to limit the impacts on our communities.”