A LEADING Saddleworth hotelier and publican has expressed ‘disappointment’ at Oldham Council cutting funding for community WCs.
Phil Whiteman, boss of The Old Bell Inn and restaurant in Delph, hit out after it was revealed his pub is one of six to be axed from the scheme in the new year.
He said: “We are surprised and disappointed with the council’s decision to cut the public toilet funding.
“We feel this is an essential part of the community and funding should be considered a priority.
“Oldham Council claims to support tourism – we are at the centre of a busy tourist destination yet funding is still being cut.”
The community scheme gives free access to toilets to the public but is no longer being funded by Oldham Council.
Saddleworth Parish Council made a detailed review and agreed to fund the current scheme until December 31 this year.
Then their revised scheme from January will provide funding for six premises.
They will be: The Saddleworth Craft Co-operative, Delph; The Ram’s Head, Denshaw; The Swan, Dobcross; The Diggle Hotel; The Little Shop in Uppermill; and The Commercial in Uppermill.
Each premise will receive an annual fee of £600 and current signage will be updated, with some advance signage provided.
The estimated cost of the proposals in the current financial year is £7,400, including £200 for signage, and then the ongoing annual cost is £3,600.
Premises not included in the toilet scheme for 2015 are The Old Bell, Delph; The Three Crowns at Scouthead; The Royal George, Greenfield; The Granby, Uppermill; The White Hart, Lydgate and The Roebuck Inn at Strinesdale.
They have received a personal letter from Saddleworth Parish Council clerk, Tony Marlor, thanking them for their participation in the scheme.
Meanwhile, The Parish Council says it supports the principle of Wade Row toilets being kept open and will consider taking over their management once all relevant information is available.
How very crafty of them. Presumably the scheme they offered in using the pubs was cheaper than maintaining the toilets and they then profiteered by selling public property – the toilets. Seems typical of this council -(look at how they seemed to offer us an alternative of a school or newbuild we then got both in Diggle) offering to compensate for the closing down of public toilets paid for by us with the promise of viable alternatives in the pubs which has been supporting small businesses too. This sounded acceptable but then seemingly? without any taxpayer consultation withdrawing it going back on a promise. Who chooses these dodgy beggars!Are they regulated at all once voted in? What happened to openness honesty and integrity In our leaders? we only hope for this. I’m off to pee in the park!