FOUR Hampshire parish councils are meeting today to discuss whether they should agree to demands to pay half the running costs of their public toilets.
Parish councils for New Alres-ford, Bishop’s Waltham, Den-mead and Wickham will have to pay thousands of pounds every year to keep the toilets open under new plans. Cash-strapped Winchester civic chiefs have told the parish councils that if they do not pay the cash the toilets could shut. Parish councils have so far blasted the contribution demands which could apply as early as April 1.
The annual running costs of the public toilets are £6,643 at New Alresford, £12,779 at Bishop’s Waltham, £6,684 at Denmead and £6,217 at Wickham.
City council environment boss Councillor Frank Pearson said: “We are doing everything we can to avoid cuts in services but this means looking hard at how and where those services are funded.”
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