Ian ClarkeThe Times is giving you the chance to have your say about the future of public toilets in Dereham. The town council is looking at what to do with the Cowper Road and Barwells Court facilities.Ian Clarke

The Times is giving you the chance to have your say about the future of public toilets in Dereham.

As reported last week, the town council is looking at what to do with the Cowper Road and Barwells Court facilities.

One suggestion made during the town council meeting was to shut the toilets on the Cowper Road car park and refurbish the block at Barwells Court.

Councillors were eager to get the views of local people. We are asking two questions and the answers will be considered by them as they make the final decisions.

Town clerk Tony Needham said that when the responsibility for the toilets was handed over to the town council by Breckland Council, it was only given enough funding to run and refurbish one set of toilets.

Robert Hambidge, chairman of the social and welfare committee, said: 'These are important issues to the town and any decision would have financial implications which could lead to higher council tax bills or reduction in services in other areas.

'The cost of running each of the toilets is around �14,000 per year and the cost of refurbishing a second toilet could be as much as �120,000.

'Because the implications of any decision will affect everybody, it is important to understand how people feel about the number, location and cost of running an additional set of toilets. That is why we welcome the opportunity to consult with the people of Dereham through the Dereham Times.'

DEREHAM TOILETS QUESTIONS

1 If a second set of toilets at Cowper Road car park are kept open it will cost around �2.50 per household per year and a one-off cost of around �20 per household to refurbish. This gives an annual cost of refurbishing and running Cowper Road toilets of around �5 per household per year. Would you be happy to pay an additional �5 per year on your council tax to have a second set of toilets at Cowper Road car park?

2 Currently the toilets are cleaned once a day, before they are opened in the morning, but there are often complaints part way through the day that the toilets are dirty. The cleaning of the toilets is the biggest single expense. Would you be happy to pay a small amount (no more than 20p) to use the toilet, the income from charging would enable the toilets to be cleaned more than once a day?

t Reply to the questions on the front page of our website or e-mail ian.clarke@archant.co.uk