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.

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.