A LEADING Forest councillor has said the authority had “no option” but to close the public toilets in Cinderford and Mitcheldean.

A notice on the toilets in the Heywood car park in Cinderford stated they would be closed from February 9.

The council says both facilities have been attacked by vandals.

During the discussion on the council’s budget, Cllr Shaun Stammers (Lab, Cinderford) sought assurances there would be enough money to cover maintenance of all the district’s public toilets.

In response, the Cabinet member for finance Cllr Richard Leppington said: “I appreciate the issues around the public conveniences in Cinderford are quite a hot topic at the moment and of huge concern to the community.

My understanding is that we have no alternative but to close those public conveniences for the time being until we can find a long term solution and I believe it is being taken back to Cinderford Town Council to see if some arrangement can be brought together with them which will enable the public conveniences to be opened.”

Councillors were told it may be possible to use cash from the Shared Prosperity Fund to keep public toilets open.

A spokesman for the council said: ““Public Toilets across some of the larger towns in the Forest are currently undergoing a review, with plans to carry out improvements using Shared Prosperity Funding (SPF).

“The toilets at Heywood Road in Cinderford have faced continuous vandalism and anti-social behaviour, making them under-utilised as people no longer feel safe using them.

Therefore it has been decided that they should be temporarily closed whilst the review is concluded. In addition to our own provision, we are aware that Cinderford Town Council is investing in new Changing Places public WCs at 6 Market Street – the old HSBC – and Rheola House.

As for the toilets at Mitcheldean, they are not part of the SPF review.

“However, they are also facing repeated antisocial behaviour and vandalism and are currently closed awaiting repairs. They will be reopened once repairs have been completed.”