Chichester public toilet to be closed

However, the toilet in Cathedral Way will be closed in a cost-cutting measure to save £15,000 per year.

Following a council investigation in January, 2012, of the usage of public toilets in the Chichester district, three were facing the axe at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (February 5).

The toilets, which cabinet members said were very close to other public conveniences in the Avenue de Chartres car park, will close by March, 2014.

However, following a public backlash over the potential closure of the site in Florence Park, the council has had a change of heart.

Cabinet member for the environment and community safety John Connor said: “I accept the usage could be misleading.”

He said ‘anecdotal evidence’ appeared to suggest there was no set pattern to when the toilets were used.

“I personally feel we should keep them open with an annual review,” he added.

Mr Connor added, while the provision of clean, safe public toilets is one of the best-appreciated services a local authority can provide, it nevertheless had ‘no duty’ to provide it.

He also said there was ‘almost universal opposition’ from the public to further closures.

The district council will also approach Chichester City Council to ask it to make an annual contribution of £20,000 to the maintaining of the public toilets within the city centre.

“I hope we will have the cooperation of the city council,” said council leader Heather Caird.

She added she was sure the city council would ‘understand the importance’ of helping to maintain them, adding: “We hope they will look favourably on this.”

Deputy leader Myles Cullen said, following the cuts the council was facing from government, the annual contribution was a necessity.

“We have heard this morning how things are and people have got to share the pain,” he said.

Tony Dignum, cabinet member for finance, said: “I have been speaking to city council members and I think we can negotiate a figure.”

A decision on public toilets in Wisborough Green was deferred for six months to allow more public feedback to be sought, after outcry at the potential closure.