Candidate pledges toilet fight

ELECTION hopeful Stephen Taylor has vowed to challenge Warrington Borough Council’s decision to close the public toilets at Stockton Heath if he is successful in next month’s elections.
Mr Taylor, former chairman of action group Stockton Heath Alternative Residents Council (SHARC), is a Conservative candidate for Stockton Heath ward in the May 1 elections.
He made his pledge at a meeting of Stockton Heath Parish Council when residents were complaining about problems caused by the closure.
In recent months, SHARC has complained bitterly about the borough’s decision to close the toilets on the Forge shopping centre car park because of “unsavoury activity.”
They have investigated and discovered there were only three reported incidents of inappropriate activity at the toilets over three years – and no-one had been arrested, charged or cautioned.
As a result they believe the real reason the toilets were closed was to save money.
Parish clerk Peter Briggs had contacted the borough to find out future plans for toilets in the village – and was told public toilets in the town had been “rationalised” at a saving of £80,000 per year. There were no plans to re-open the toilets or provide an alternative.
Mr Taylor said if elected he would work to get the toilets re-opened.
He said: “If the borough council is in such a position that it has to close toilets to save money, then they are broke. Are they going to declare themselves bankrupt?”