Full list of public toilets in Bexhill, Rye and Battle to close over winter - this is when

Rother District Council (RDC) said they will be closed on a trial basis over the winter months in a bid to save the authority thousands of pounds.

Council bosses said they have made the decision as the authority faces a £3.8 million pound shortfall in its budget for 2024/25.

However the authority’s decision has been condemned.

Cllr Connor Winter, Rother councillor and town councillor for Bexhill St Marks ward, said: “I am utterly disappointed and disgusted with this decision. This will mean that all of the St Marks public toilets will now be closed on 'temporary' basis apart from the recreation ground when there is sports fixtures taking place.

“I will be discussing these closures with my fellow ward councillor Cllr Jimmy Stanger over the coming days and speaking to residents and community groups about these changes. I am totally against these changes as these will have an adverse impact on both residents, tourism and the local businesses.”

RDC said over the last 18 months, the council has been in negotiations to see if the provision of public toilets could be devolved to town or parish councils. It said while there have been some very positive discussions, no firm decisions have been made.

Council chiefs said they now have no other option but to bring in the trial closures, which will come into force on November 13.

Cllr Doug Oliver, council leader, said: “We know this decision will be unpopular, but we have to face up to the stark reality of the situation. After years of reductions in central Government funding, rising costs and inflation, we are now looking at a £3.8m shortfall in our budget next year.

“We don’t want to close our toilets, but this is the first of many tough decisions we will have to make over the coming months in order to protect our statutory services such as waste collection and support for the homeless and vulnerable.”

Cllr Oliver said that toilet facilities are aging, some buildings are no longer fit for purpose, and some have been the target of vandals, which are often costly to repair.

He added: “Contractor costs, the price of equipment and materials, and the cost of replacing damaged or worn-out items continue to increase.

“We currently have more public toilets than many authorities in the south, and unlike many other councils, we’ve been able to keep them open. However, our annual budget to provide them is now over £300,000 per year, and we can no longer maintain the service in its present form.

“By closing 12 toilets across the district on a trial basis, we can focus on providing an improved service in the remaining toilets in Battle, Bexhill, and Rye, as well as Camber Sands.

“We remain very much open to any firm proposals from town or parish councils, or local organisations to take over the provision of these toilets or offer alternative community schemes.”

In Bexhill, seven toilets will close leaving five open, in Battle one will close, and one will remain open, and in Rye two will close leaving two open. Both toilets at Pett Level and at Sedlescombe will close and some other toilets will change schedules or close as usual during the winter months.

The toilets that will shut from November 13 for the winter are as follows:

Bexhill Cooden Sea Road

Bexhill Devonshire Square

Bexhill Little Common Roundabout

Bexhill Manor Gardens

Bexhill Normans Bay

Bexhill Polegrove Bowls

Bexhill Sidley

Little Common Recreation Ground (Made available only for sports fixtures by prior agreement)

Polegrove Grandstand (Made available only for sports fixtures by prior agreement)

Battle Mount Street

Rye Strand Quay

Rye Gun Gardens

Pett Level

Sedlescombe