WOULD you pay to spend a penny?

Parish councillors at Altarnun have mooted the idea of paying to use the new public toilet block, once it is built.

It is after toilets that had been open to the public at the church hall were closed earlier this summer, due to antisocial behaviour.

Now they can only be used when the hall itself is open.

Vice chairman of St Nonna’s Parochial Church Council (PCC), Peter Hall, told the Post mess had been left on the walls and floor of the toilets, and ‘towels and things’ stuffed down the toilet. He said: “It beggars belief what people are capable of doing. It was appalling.

“The place was filthy. I think it happened three times.

“We locked the place up and took the signs down that said public toilets.” Towels and toilet paper were also being stolen ‘on a regular basis’, said Mr Hall.

St Nonna’s PCC wrote with regret to notify the parish council of its decision to end open access to the toilets.

The toilets had been opened up to the public around four and a half years ago, with an initial arrangement between the PCC and the parish council that they would be publicly available for six months, extended to a year.

The parish council at its July meeting noted and agreed with the PCC’s decision, as reported in the Post (August 16). This led to a debate about whether the new public toilet block should charge for use and if so by how much. Consensus of councillors present favoured charging with fees between 20p and 50p discussed. A decision will be taken at a later meeting. Residents’ views would be welcomed.

The clerk to the parish council, Margaret Savage, can be contacted on 01566 86582 or by emailing [email protected]

Ms Savage said she hopes the new toilet block will be up and running by the Easter holidays.

The new block will be between the entrance to the South West Water plant and the old toilet block, opposite the war memorial, on a piece of land sold to the parish council for a very low cost.