CHARD Town Council agreed to take control of the public toilets at risk of closure due to the unitary council’s financial crisis at a cost of £13,228 for the coming year.

The council, after the proposal from its Amenities & Events Committee on Monday, March 18, will pay for the one-year cleaning, opening, and closing of Chard’s Bath Street Public Toilets, therefore keeping an essential service open in the town.

Somerset Council informed the town council recently that they were going to close the public toilets from April 1, 2024, unless Chard took the cleaning contract over or took control of it themselves.

Councillors were informed that the cost of this would be £13,228 for the coming year.

Because of the short timeline and to make sure the toilets remained open members decided to agree to pay the charge for this coming year and look at other options for future years therefore securing the facility immediately.

Councillor Jenny Kenton said before proposing: “This is exactly why we have a reserve fund to save our town's services that are threatened due to the unitary council’s financial crisis”.

Chard Town Council agreed to set up a fund of £250,000 which would be used in this financial year to take on some of the services currently undertaken by the larger council.