THREE sets of public toilets in West Devon are to be closed as part of a cost-cutting exercise, councillors in the borough have this week decided.

The borough's environment and community committee agreed the closure of the toilets at the Bus Station in Tavistock, in Mill Road Car Park, Okehampton and at the Leg O' Mutton in Yelverton, given the 'tough financial challenges facing the authority'.

The council has been looking at making savings in discretionary budget areas and the committee also voted in favour of asking parish and town councils to provide a 30% contribution towards the running costs of other public toilets.

Cllr John Young said he would rather go down the route of charging people to use public conveniences before closing them altogether particularly the bus station toilets, which would be used by a lot of elderly people and those visiting the town.

The committee was told that a pilot scheme for charging would be operating in Princetown initiated by the parish council, but charging for the three toilets earmarked for closure would not make enough money — the closure will save the council £31,460.

The number of public conveniences run by the borough council was reduced in 2003 from 27 to 15. The decision was based on usage, the size of the town, location and tourism use. Currently the cost of running public conveniences in the borough was £180,000.

Cllr Bill Cann said: 'Why can't parish and town councils take responsibility for their own toilets.

'We have in South Zeal and Sticklepath and many other rural parishes where we have had no option.

'West Devon Borough Council and Dartmoor National Park said they were going to close them so we had to take them on.

'The Government's new localism bill is about having services closer to the people.'

Cllr Alison Clish-Green said this was an opportunity for town and parish councils to be innovative and even make some money from taking over the toilets.

She said by West Devon making a decision to close the toilets, it did not stop town councils coming forward and offering to take them on.

Committee vice chairman Nick Morgan said public toilets had been one of the most emotive issues he had faced in all his years in local government.

He said: 'The fact is we have to bite the bullet at some stage. We cannot keep paying out money if we are not taking any money on these facilities.'

Tavistock town council will be considering a condition survey on the town's three public toilets next month with a view to possibly taking some on.

Members have said they did not wish to see any close and have already paid a contribution of £5,500 to West Devon Borough Council for the running of the Guildhall toilets.

Cllr Christine Marsh said the Mill Road toilets were the least needed in the town and it was hoped there would be new toilet facilities nearby, when the Old Mill site was developed.