LIFTON is about to suffer the same fate as Bere Ferrers, a decision by the borough council to close our public toilets. Unless, of course, the parishioners won't mind us increasing their precept to cover the cost of cleaning and maintenance.

Our public toilets, like most of those in the villages of West Devon, are not really used by the parish, but by everyone else: delivery people, builders, travellers, holiday-makers, folks shopping on their way through, bus drivers. (It must be the same for Tavistock and Okehampton.)

Why should the borough rely on local hotels and garages for this kind of provision?

If our parish council took over the running of these toilets, would the borough's council tax demand go down in the same proportion as Lifton's would go up? Of course not. This is becoming known as 'double taxation'; the parish is given the option of paying more, yet will look in vain for any reduction in the borough's demands.

Ivor Williams

Clerk to the council

Lifton

WITH reference to your reports about closure of village toilets. What a retrograde step to take in the 21st century!

I agree with Mr Martin Hawkins that it is incredible, that after spending thousands of pounds on upgrading the toilets in the 1980s they should now be closed and left until they are vandalised — as seems to happen with most empty properties these days.

I live close to the toilets and note that they are reasonably well used, particularly when we have events on the Village Quay, when plenty of beer is consumed.

How would the officers reporting to Mr David Inman know how often the toilets are used? They do not live here with a view of the toilets from their window, as I do.

I'm sure there are other ways of the borough council saving money, which are less essential.

Bere Ferrers area pays quite a high community tax for less amenities than Tavistock and Okehampton. So please let us have something which I feel is important for everyone's well being.

I am sure that all the other villages who face this closure must feel the same.

Margaret Adams

Fern Cottage

Silver Street

Bere Ferrers