RESIDENTS in Saltash are being asked whether the town’s public toilets should be improved, closed or even made subject to a small charge as the town council reviews the future of the facilities.

The consultation comes amid concerns over the cost of providing the toilets and what councillors say is a growing and frustrating pattern of vandalism and anti-social behaviour, which has repeatedly left the authority facing additional repair bills.

Saltash town council currently provides public toilets at Longstone Park, Belle Vue, Waterside and Alexandra Square.

However, councillors are now considering whether all four facilities should continue to operate and what investment may be required to keep them safe, accessible and available for residents and visitors.

The review will consider a range of factors, including how often each facility is used, its condition and maintenance requirements, security, accessibility, opening hours, alternative facilities nearby and the ongoing cost of provision.

Providing the toilets involves significant ongoing expenditure, including cleaning, utilities, maintenance and repairs.

The council says vandalism can create additional costs while also affecting the safety, security and availability of facilities for the public.

Figures included in the consultation show that the cost of simply opening, closing and cleaning the public toilets was just under £3,000 a month during 2024/25.

That figure does not include other running, maintenance and repair costs, including those resulting from vandalism.

The council must therefore weigh the cost to local taxpayers against the importance of each facility to residents and visitors, as well as considering whether investment in measures to improve safety and reduce vandalism could help protect the toilets in the future.

Residents are being asked how important each of the four facilities is to them and how frequently they use them.

One of the key questions asks whether people support Saltash town council investing in improvements at Longstone Park, Belle Vue and Waterside to improve safety, reduce vandalism and maintain the toilets for public use.

Another asks whether residents support closing the toilets at Alexandra Square, given the availability of alternative public toilet facilities nearby, including those at the Guildhall.

The consultation also asks residents whether they would support introducing a small charge for using some public toilets if doing so helped reduce the cost to local taxpayers while maintaining the facilities.

The council has stressed that no decisions have been made at this stage. It said the responses received through the consultation will help inform councillors as they consider the future provision of public toilets across Saltash.

Residents have until Monday, September 21, to have their say, with the online survey expected to take around three minutes to complete.

The consultation can be completed online through Saltash town council’s public toilet survey. Paper copies are available from Saltash Guildhall and Saltash Library Hub, where completed surveys can also be returned.

Residents can also access the survey by scanning QR codes displayed on posters around the town.

Anyone with questions about the consultation can contact Saltash Town Council on 01752 844846 or email [email protected].