COUNCILLORS appear to have flushed away any attempts to reopen a toilet block despite public support.

The decision by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council not to support the plan at Littlemoor has disappointed campaigners who say they will fight on.

The run-down loos next to Littlemoor Shopping Centre have been closed for more than a year.

There is support for a facility from residents who visit the shops and people who pass through the new road into town and to holiday camps.

The issue was first brought before the council at the end of last year when Littlemoor pensioner Terry Butcher presented a 1,600-strong petition.

The item was referred to various committees and ended up at April’s full council meeting where it was sent back to the management committee with a recommendation that ‘all possible solutions’ for restoring the loos were to be investigated.

But with warnings of little money in the budget to fund a refurbishment and no take-up from businesses to run the toilets or open their facilities to the public, the management committee voted not to reopen them.

Councillors were told the cost of refurbishing and reopening them would be about £35,000 plus cleaning and maintenance costs of £13,000 per year. Rebuilding them would cost £44,000 not including demolishing the old block.

A ‘community toilet scheme’ whereby businesses are paid to give access to their toilets has not been taken up.

Finance spokesman Peter Chapman said there was ‘scope’ for working with local retailers but it would require a significant cash injection from the council.

“The only way I can see to provide funding would be to sell the facility and use the capital receipt although someone else would be responsible for maintenance,” Coun Chapman said.

Coun Andy Blackwood said the council should not ‘shut the door entirely’ and urged the committee to investigate funding.

Committee chairman Mike Goodman said that businesses wouldn’t take on the commitment when there was a possibility the council would do it.

He said: “We haven’t quite taken the decision. The toilets sit there as a permanent reminder, an eyesore, a rallying point for people that want them restored.”

Coun Kate Wheller said she understood there were people in the community interested in taking on the toilets. The decision not to reopen the toilets was backed 6-2 by the committee.

Disappointed campaigners vow to fight on

AFTER the meeting, petition organiser Terry Butcher expressed his disappointment.

He said: said: “I think the decision was made before the meeting. I did go in with some hope that they might look at the other options.”

Mr Butcher, 70, a retired building site manager of Louviers Road, added: “It’s frustrating it took so long to get so far and now it’s been binned. But I’m not going to let it be.”

Littlemoor councillor Rachel Rogers, pictured right, who has backed the campaign from the start, said: “The full council asked the committee to do everything possible to provide a facility at Littlemoor yet it chose to disregard that mandate.

“The discussions did touch on the possibility of the options open to the council but they have closed the door on this. “We will reconsider our position and won’t be giving up.”