Most people in Kendal would prefer to use toilets in commercial premises such as MacDonalds, rather than go to a public convenience, Kendal Town Council has heard.

Councillors were being asked their views on a partnership agreement with South Lakeland District Council, which would have safeguarded one set of public conveniences in the town for a further year.

But in a heated debate at their meeting on Monday, councillors voted 9-5 against the partnership arrangement.

They had previously asked their town clerk, Hugh McClorry, to look into an arrangement which would have safeguarded either the Police Yard toilets or those in Ribble Yard for a further year.

Under the partnership agreement, the cost to the town council of keeping open the Police Yard toilets would be 50 per cent of £10,740, reported Mr McClorry.

In the case of the Ribble Yard toilets, it would be 50 per cent of £10,950.

Mr McClorry said he had been told it would be possible to get the toilets fully functional in time for Easter if the town council decided to go ahead.

But Coun Paul Braithwaite urged councillors not to take up the partnership.

There was no guarantee that there would be funding for next year and the town council would be left to either spend a large amount of money, or close them down.

The partnership offer was "a sop" from the district council to get people off their back over the closure of public conveniences, said Coun Braithwaite.

"It might not be next year but it won't be long before they pull the plug and we will be left," he warned.

After talking to people in Kendal, he felt most people preferred to use toilets in premises such as MacDonalds anyway, because they were clean and tidy.

Coun Charles Batteson warned the town council was in danger of entering "a minefield" over the issue of public conveniences.

There had been a rebellion in the tourist communities against the closures and now the issue had turned from farce into tragedy, he said.

The partnership was a one-off' and there was no guarantee it would be continued.

Coun Tom Clare expressed concern that people should go into premises such as MacDonalds to go to the toilet if they had not bought anything.

Coun David Birkett urged councillors to try to keep the toilets, at least for a year. They were a basic need, he said.

Coun Andy Shine said the council needed to keep a sense of perspective.

"We are not closing all the public conveniences in Kendal. You would think this town is bereft of toilets. For people arriving in Kendal after a car journey there are still toilets at the New Road and Peppercorn Lane car parks," he said.

The district council had taken a lot of adverse publicity about public conveniences, the Mayor, Coun Avril Dobson, said.

But it was still costing them £800,000 a year to keep the remaining public conveniences open.

April 11, 2003 10:31