RESIDENTS have called on district council bosses to save Frinton’s toilets by leasing them to a town council.

The Old Way toilets were one of ten blocks to be axed by Tendring Council earlier this year in a bid to save the authority £60,000 a year.

Negotiations with Frinton and Walton Town Council to save the loos fell through, which led to the district council offering the building up for rent on the open market.

But more than 140 concerned residents at a packed meeting of Frinton Residents Association, at the McGrigor Hall on Saturday, voted unanimously for the loos to be saved.

Frinton mayor Robert Bucke said: “The town council entered into negotiations within the last 12 months with the district council to try to keep the toilets open both in Old Way, Frinton, and in Mill Lane, Walton.

“We couldn’t reach agreement on the tenure of the property – whether we could have a lease or licence or freehold.

“We tried all those things, but the cost of doing so was prohibitive in the case of both toilets.

“In the case of Walton it is clear Tendring Council want to keep that closed because they have plans for future development of the site.

“That might be in the next five to ten years, but in the meantime they’re not prepared to keep them open – so those are closed, end of story.

“In the case of Old Way, Frinton, the district council having failed to reach agreement with the town council over whether we could have the premises either freehold or leasehold or licence have put those premises on the free market at a rental cost of £350 a month.

“And the town council have put in an offer on that basis alongside two others that we are aware of.

“So, the district, through their agents, have three offers at £350 a month to rent those premises.

“We have asked for a five-year lease at least in order for us to open the toilets, improve them and maintain them and keep them open.

“So there’s a possibility we will get the Old Way toilets reopened under town council lease and tenancy, but at the present time no hope of doing the same with Mill Lane in Walton.”

Frinton Residents’ Association chairman Alan Eldret said there was a “strength of feeling” in the town for keeping the loos open.

He added: “As an association, we have written to Tendring Council’s chief executive Ian Davidson saying that we want them open.

“We want the toilets open for us and our visitors.”

He added: “We lobbied strongly to keep the public toilets in Old Way open, but unfortunately these were closed permanently at New Year and any reprieve is unlikely.

“We find it difficult to understand why the councils at Tendring Council and our own town could not find some formula to continue this service which the local residents want.”

Tendring Council finance boss Carlo Guglielmi said officers placed the site on the market after it was understood the town council was unable to proceed with proposals for sponsorship or taking on the running of the WCs at Old Way.

He added: “It is my understanding that we have received a number of expressions of interest following the marketing, including a new one from the town council.

“However, it is important that our officers have an opportunity to carefully evaluate these before making a final recommendation.

“When there is more than one proposal, it is the council’s practice not to necessarily accept the highest offer, but to see which one proposes a more comprehensive and beneficial offering to the community.”

A district council spokesman added the new toilet strategy saw ten out of 12 facilities remain open in Frinton and Walton, and allowed the authority to upgrade those amenities which remained to a better standard.