THE rationale used to justify the closure of 10 city toilets has been condemned by critics.

Vandalism, sexual misuse and drug taking were all cited as reasons for closing the toilets. However, objectors are adamant that these problems should have been addressed and not used as a justification for depriving the public of vital facilities.

Despite the Echo's Save Our Toilets campaign, which has attracted wide public support with hundreds of reader sending in coupons demonstrating their anger at the move, members of the city council executive committee voted to press ahead with the closures at a meeting earlier this week.

While there are increasing calls for the council to reverse the decision, as things stand, loos in Blackboy Road, Buddle Lane, Okehampton Street, Cowick Lane, Ennerdale Way, Hamlin Lane, Higher Cemetery, King William Street, Musgrave Row and Guinea Street, will all shut from April.

If approved by the full council at its budget meeting on February 23, the closures will save £60,000 out of £1m the authority needs to shed from its budget.

In a report on the subject prepared by council officers, the top reason for favouring closure was that the facility was "subject to vandalism and misuse".

This was applied as the reason behind the recommended closure of virtually all the toilets apart from the Higher Cemetery facilities that are only open for funerals and those at Ennerdale Way that are used as "at weekends for recreation".

Previously, concern had been expressed that the council was applying a criteria of closing the most popular and well-used toilets to save the most money on cleaning and maintenance.

But Liberal Democrat Cllr Peter Wadham, who voted in favour of the closure plan during last Tuesday's executive committee meeting, said: "Personally I am extremely concerned about drug use and anti-social behaviour and wish to see at least two, Okehampton Road and Guinea Street, closed on these grounds.

"The ones that are listed for closure might be the most popular for drug-taking and other anti-social activities, but not necessarily for use by general members of the public."

But this reasoning has been attacked by opposition councillors who said shutting public facilities because of misuse was completely the wrong way of looking at things.

Labour councillor Richard Branston said: "The council say a big part of deciding which (to close) was the anti-social behaviour but you don't close public services. You sort out the problems — not shut the places down. It is an outrage."

Conservative councillor Yolonda Henson agreed and said: "Instead of using an excuse of drug dealing, or whatever, to close the toilets, we should be going for the source and not taking away public facilities."

While it was confirmed yesterday that the city council would receive a £1.6m grant from the government to help operate the concessionary bus fares scheme, this will not have any impact on the decision to close toilets.

A spokesman for the council confirmed this sum of money had already been included in this year's budget so would not have any bearing on the savings and cuts that have been identified.