TWO of Crediton’s four public toilets could be closed by council spending cuts.

The public convenience at St Lawrence Green is one of several around the district earmarked by Mid Devon District Council for possible closure in 2011.

The council has also proposed making savings by stopping its contribution towards the maintenance of the toilet at the Old Town Hall, which Crediton Town Council helps to fund. This toilet is only available when the building is open.

These measures would contribute towards a saving of £18,300 in the district council’s environmental health budget, which could be implemented next year.

The council says the delay will allow for consultation with parish councils who may wish to take on  the toilets themselves.

If the toilets at the Green and the Old Town Hall were forced to close, this would leave only the ones at Newcombes Meadow — where there is nowhere to park — and the town square.

Town and district councillor David Nation said: “St Lawrence Green is an important site for a public convenience because a lot of coach trips for elderly people start there and they use the loo before they embark.

“It’s also the first toilet as you come into the town so it’s used by visitors travelling through.”

Crediton mayor Frank Letch said: “The town council has always taken the view that so many people leave from that end of town, where there’s a bus stop, that those toilets are a very necessary asset to the town. The roof was redone only a couple of years ago and that would have been a waste of money.”

Sarah Hedges, unit manager at St Lawrence residential care home in Churchill Drive, said: “The toilet’s closure could cause some distress and inconvenience for the elderly residents who walk into town from here. It’s essential people have access to public toilets.”

Cllr Ray Radford, portfolio holder for the street scene at Mid Devon District Council, stressed that discussions about possible savings from the closure of toilets were at a very early stage.

 He said: “A decision has not been made  yet. There will be consultation because it is important to get a feel for what people want.”

Cllr Radford said possible reductions of around 20 per cent in central government funding in the years ahead meant several options for savings had to be considered. But he said a previous round of cuts in toilets around the district four or five years ago had not saved as much money as expected.

The proposals were contained within a draft budget report that was examined by the council’s scrutiny committee last month.

Other public conveniences around the district earmarked for possible closure a year from now include ones at Morchard Road, Phoenix Lane in Tiverton, Hemyock and Sampford Peverell. These would save £2,400 each, on average, and there would be associated staff savings of £6,300.

The council also proposes pulling the contributions towards the partnership toilets at Chawleigh Village Hall, Lapford and Woodleigh Coach House, which along with the one at the Old Town Hall, would save £3,250.