TOWN councillors have stepped up the fight to keep a number of public toilets open across the region.

Kendal town councillors are to reconsider at a future meeting whether it should take on some of the responsibility of running public conveniences following the closure of the toilets off Stramongate this week.

Councillors described the announcement from South Lakeland District Council that the conveniences near Gooseholme are now closed as "deplorable" and there were fears that this would be the first of other closures.

"They (SLDC) have made a massive hike in council tax and still we are losing services," said Coun Avril Dobson.

"They need not have done it because there was a way round it.

This council should say that we are very angry that they have gone down this road."

Coun Tom Clare echoed her sentiments and added that, when SLDC offered the town council the opportunity to help fund the running of public conveniences in the town, it was felt not to be appropriate because the public were paying for them through their council tax.

He said the council should look at some future meeting whether to reconsider its position and extend to SLDC " some kind of partnership arrangement."

Coun Graham Vincent said the town council was given an opportunity to open discussions with SLDC about what could be done to aid the situation but declined to do so.

He added that the town council was capable of taking on public conveniences for the good of the community.

"These will be the first of other closures," he warned.

"It's not a mandatory service and every time South Lakeland finds itself in a hole for money the town council will be offered an opportunity to look at the service."

It was feared the toilets at Ribble Yard and Police Yard could be the next in line for closure.