THE MP for North Cornwall has written to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to ‘save’ public toilets by lifting financial restrictions on them.

It follows a letter sent to Conservative Scott Mann by Launceston Town Council last month, asking for his support in abolishing business rates on public toilets.

The letter, signed by the town clerk Rita Skinner, asked for Mr Mann’s support for the National Assosication of Local Councils’ campaign to ‘end the imposition of business rates on public toilets’ — indicating the town council understands the Prime Minister discussed the issue on his recent visit to Cornwall.

The letter continues: “Launceston Town Council is one of many local councils in Cornwall that has taken on public toilets from Cornwall Council in order to save them from closure.

“We have managed to absorb the extra costs for the time being but may not be able to do so in the longer term. For example, we are currently considering the future of our local library, and envisage that there will be more services competing for limited funds in the coming years.

“Launceston Town Council runs four sets of public toilets, we do not charge for use of the toilets and would not wish to. One of the sets is in our car park and the rates for the toilets cannot be separately identified, but in the year ending 31 March 2015 the rates for the remaining three sets were £3,994.70, representing 15.8% of the total cost of running those toilets.”

The town council runs the toilets in the multi-storey car park and at Newport, as well as those at Race Hill and the Walk, which it took on from Cornwall Council.

Mr Mann, in his letter sent last week to Mr Cameron and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Greg Clarke MP, wrote that the matter not only concerns North Cornwall ‘but the entirety’ of the county.

He wrote of the ‘challenge’ facing local authorities, adding: “However, savings in funding have led authorities, such as Cornwall Council, to resort to announcing imminent closure of public toilets across the county, and I cannot stress how much this concerns me, my constituents, and the whole of Cornwall.

“Cornwall is a much loved and revered destination for visitors from within the UK as well as from around the world. They come to enjoy our beautiful coastline and beaches, the rolling green fields, and the market towns at the heart of its economy.

“Closure then of the public toilets will, I fear, bring disastrous consequences upon the county, with local people and visitors alike having nowhere to access a public convenience.

“I therefore urge you both to help save these essential services by lifting financial restrictions upon them such as business rates, as well as giving consideration to classifying them as statutory services to the public.

“Parish, town and county councils are all aware of the financial challenges facing public toilets due to the rising cost of overheads, and I believe the exemption of business rates could well be their saviour, which would lift a heavy burden off of local government shoulders.

“I trust you have both taken time in the past to visit the seaside or a rural town or village, and that you would have expected to have access to a public convenience. Please then allow the public to continue to expect this also.”

Mr Mann told the Post: “The six Cornish MPs are all calling for business rates on public toilets to be removed and I have specifically called for them to be made statutory public services. I welcome all town and parish councils in North Cornwall to join me in these calls.”

Mr Cameron regularly holidays in North Cornwall with his family.