AROUND 110 public toilets throughout Cornwall will be managed and maintained by town and parish councils from next month.

It follows Cornwall Council's review of the non-statutory services it provides, such as public toilets, after a £170-million cut in funding to the authority by Central Government.

Discussions have been taking place over the last year between Cornwall Council and town and parish councils after many toilets faced closure.

Callington Town Council has taken on the ownership of the public toilets in New Road, and Calstock Parish Council will be managing the toilets in Calstock and Gunnislake for a year in order to consult the public as to their future.

As part of the transfer arrangements, the council has to date invested around £850,000 in making capital improvements to facilities across the county.

The authority has been able to improve access for people with disabilities and provide energy and water-saving measures which will help cut future running costs.

The council has also allocated revenue grants to town and parish councils of around £600,000 for the 2013/14 financial year to help smooth the transition. In many cases, the council has also agreed to requests from town and parish councils for the freehold of these assets.

Cllr John Pollard, Cornwall, council portfolio holder for localism, sustainability and devolution, said:?'I am pleased that Cornwall Council is working with so many partner parishes and towns to devolve the operation of these toilets.

'It has been a long and often difficult process and I fully acknowledge and understand the apprehension of some of those involved, but at last we have achieved a major success.

'Running their local facilities presents towns and parishes with the opportunity to provide and retain what they see as vital services.

'The funding packages and improvement works have made the transfer more acceptable to the parishes and towns and I am delighted that so many have decided to move forward in this way.'

Cornwall Council will continue to operate 56 facilities throughout the county in locations

where exceptional circumstances have been identified and may introduce charging in some facilities in places where it has been yet unable to reach an agreement with the town or parish council.

Calstock Parish Council said at its meeting last month that the public toilets in Calstock and Gunnislake would cost £14,000 to run a year which would be 14% of the precept. Cornwall Council is offering a £7,000 grant towards that this year and an upgrade to the facilities but in future years the entire cost is expected to fall on the parish.

The parish council intends to consult with the community to see if local people want to keep the toilets open and pay for them through the precept.

In Callington, people living in a Band D property will pay an increase of £38 a year on their council tax bills for the parish which the town council said was necessary to keep services maintained and improved, including the public toilets.