WEST Devon Borough Council could be closing all its public toilets as part of plans to tackle the financial black hole of millions of pounds it faces over the next five years.

A report on the medium term financial position of the council reveals that if there is no change to the current level of negative Revenue Support Grant and the council does not achieve business rates pilot status, they could face a £3.7-million budget shortfall by 2023/24.

Even if the level of negative Revenue Support Grant drops and the council does achieve business rates pilot status, they will still be £2.5-million in the red.

The report to the West Devon Hub Committee says that the council is currently forecasting a £0.7-million budget gap in 2019/20, but is progressing various options for closing the budget gap in 2019/20 and future years, to achieve long term financial sustainability.

The council is targeting savings of at least £50,000 towards that by reviewing the public toilets in the district, and a report to the hub committee outlines four options that could be considered.

Option 1 — Close, or devolve to parish councils, six facilities at Brentor, Bedford Bridge at Horrabridge. Chagford, Hatherleigh, Lydford and Yelverton, to make savings of £63,053.

Option 2 — Close one facility in Okehampton and one in Tavistock, where other options are available, to make a saving of £75,324. The facilities in Market Street, Okehampton, and Bedford car park, Tavistock, would close.

Option 3 — Close, or devolve to parish councils, six facilities at Brentor, Bedford Bridge at Horrabridge. Chagford, Hatherleigh, Lydford and Yelverton, to make savings of £63,053, and introduce pay on entry at car parks in Fairplace, Okehampton, Bedford car park, Guildhall Square and the bus station in Tavistock, and in Chagford and Yelverton to generate income of £22,000.

Option 4— Close all public toilets as it is a discretionary service provided by the council and would save much more than the target of £50,000.

The council currently spends £181,000, excluding salary costs, on its 12 public toilets.

The report says: “This year, the council faced a budget shortfall of £749,000 for 2019/ 20. Clearly, the need to consider the continued provision of discretionary services is an area that both the Member group and officers must consider.

‘In order to achieve the required £50,000 saving it will be necessary to either devolve or close toilets and use pay on entry for any toilets with high footfall. Some of the rural toilets, which are not frequented as often as the town centre facilities and which could be devolved to local communities, or alternatively, the council could look to close two of the town centre public toilets in Market Street in Okehampton and Bedford car park in Tavistock.

‘There are already discussions with Okehampton Town Council in respect of the proposal to devolve Fairplace toilets to the town council.

‘A further option would be to implement Pay on Entry in our facilities which have the most footfall. Pay on Entry is already in place in Princetown so it is recommended that this should be considered in Chagford, Yelverton, Bedford car park, Tavistock, Guildhall Square, Tavistock, the bus station, Tavistock and Fairplace, Okehampton.

‘It is estimated that income from the above facilities would be in the region of £20,000-£25,000, although income would not be generated until the machinery is in place and this requires a tendered procurement.

‘In addition, there would be a requirement for capital funding to be provided, anticipated to be in the region of £50,000 to £75,000, based upon the cost of recent installations in South Hams.

‘If the facilities were to become Pay on Entry facilities, it is anticipated that the capital expenditure would be repaid within three years, taking into consideration possible vandalism costs.’

The West Devon hub committee meets on Tuesday, July 17, to decide which option to take forward.