THE fate of the toilets in Bere Alston and Bere Ferrers has been placed in the hands of parishioners.

Letters have been sent to residents asking them to return slips indicating whether they are willing to pay an extra £12 a year to re-open the toilets in Bere Alston and to ensure those in Bere Ferrers are kept open.

The Bere Alston toilets were closed after West Devon Council decided it could no longer fund them, along with a number of other toilet blocks in West Devon. The closure brought complaints from residents.

The borough council decided the toilets in Bere Ferrers would be opened for the summer only. But at the parish council meeting last month chairman Cllr Eaon Wager, who is also a borough councillor, said West Devon would be going through its figures before April 1 and he did not think there would be the money to re-open them for next summer.

Cllr Ken Smith, who was opposed to sending a letter to residents, said: ?We want to keep the toilets open for those walking footpaths or visiting family and friends and for hauliers. Why go to the people? Why not decide tonight??

Cllr Jane Nash said the council had decided to put the precept up by £10,000 three years ago without going to the public.

But Cllr Phil Archer said the council had said it would give parishioners their say. And Cllr John Reddecliff stressed they had to represent parishioners. ?They are the ones who are going to pay the extra,? he said.

Cllr Eaon Wager said sending out a letter was ?the fairest way to do it?.

?It?s not costing a terrific amount. We get accused of not telling parishioners anything; this is the right way of doing it.?

Councillors originally intended to deliver the 1,366 letters themselves, but decided the safer option was to pay approximately £300 to post them, to ensure everyone received a copy.

Reply slips with the letters enable residents to vote yes or no, and these have to be returned to the various boxes around the villages by November 22.

There will be a public meeting in the Parish Hall in Bere Alston on Thursday, November 25 at 7.30pm.