CREDITON Town Council has acquired the public toilets at Newcombes Meadow through Asset Transfer from Mid Devon District Council in an effort to keep the toilets open for town residents and visitors.

Recently the Town Council has been paying Mid Devon District Council thousands of pounds a year to keep the toilets at Newcombes Meadow open.

Mrs Clare Dalley, Crediton Town Clerk, said: “The Town Council is pleased to take over a much-needed and valued community asset.

“We propose to make enhancements and improvements and thank Councillor Tim Matthews who will be caretaking the toilets for the council for the time being.

“The council is looking at installing low energy lighting to reduce our carbon footprint and keep costs down and the electricity supply will be obtained from a ‘green’ energy provider.

“As well as the gents and ladies toilets there is a toilet for those with disabilities accessed with a RADAR key.”

Mid Devon District Council recently said it was looking at innovative ways to ensure its residents are getting value for money and the provision of public toilets is not immune to radical changes in the area.

During the past few years, providing public toilets has proved increasingly costly while their use has dwindled. But with some clever thinking, officers at Mid Devon have turned the tide on costly loos.

With purse strings being pulled tighter and tighter, officers at the Council looked at ways to use these toilet buildings as property assets and have come up with some clever solutions.

Andy Busby, Group Manager for Corporate Property and Commercial Assets at Mid Devon District Council, said: “It’s unfortunate, but like all local authorities our budget is getting smaller and we must prioritise our funds and ensure the money we do have goes towards our statutory services.

“This means the provision of toilets has been affected but we are always looking at ways to ensure we can balance the needs of our communities with the money we have to spend. This is why we are working with other Councils and local businesses to ensure that money is spent wisely, and that our residents and visitors have the facilities they need.”

One of the biggest changes is the transformation of the Lowman Green toilets in Tiverton into a thriving noodle bar. These toilets used to cost the District Council in the region of £10,000 to maintain each year due to frequent vandalism and ongoing maintenance, but now the restaurant is an asset to the town, providing a new business and a sociable place to eat.

Elsewhere the District Council is working closely with Town and Parish Councils to ensure each town has a public toilet provision that is well maintained and fit for purpose.

In Crediton the disused toilets in St Lawrence Green have now been sold to a local business which plans to convert the building into a kiosk, which would include a toilet provision as a requirement of the planning permission.

Similarly to the Crediton Town Council asset transfer, negotiations are also taking place for a transfer of the Morchard Road toilets to Down St Mary and Sampford Peverell Parish Councils for their local public toilets.

In Cullompton, a sale is currently progressing regarding the development of the land where the Station Road toilets are currently situated. This project will result in a new toilet facility for the town, meeting the specification desired by Cullompton Town Council.

In Tiverton, the District and Town Councils are working together to ensure there are a number of toilet facilities in the town which are well maintained. While the District Council covers the ongoing costs of maintaining the structure of these buildings, the Town Council funds the day-to-day maintenance.

In Hemyock and Bampton, the Town and Parish Councils have taken over the control of the toilets there, ensuring a rural community, popular with walkers, retains its facility.

Andy Busby, added: “While it’s no longer feasible to maintain so many toilets in the district, we are proud that as a Council we have ensured the majority of our communities will have access to a public toilet and that it will be maintained to a good standard.”