BINGLEY’S public toilets may include facilities for disabled people after being taken over by the town council.

The facilities in Myrtle Walk will be shut by Bradford Council at the end of March, but Bingley Town Council (BTC) will be working on re-opening them next year. BTC’s plans include toilets and office space at the site.

As a result of feedback from a public consultation, BTC will investigate if a Changing Places facility, a toilet for people with complex disabilities, can also be included along with two standard accessible toilets.

A Changing Places facility is different to standard accessible toilets and is specifically for people with multiple and complex disabilities who have one or two assistants with them. The room contains a toilet, fixed-track hoist system, basin and adult-sized changing bench.

BTC will consult with its architect about altering the plans to include a Changing Places facility and with Bradford Council and the Public Works Loans Board about the implications of any changes to the plans.

Councillor Marcus Dearden, BTC vice-chair, said: “After hearing compelling testimony from campaigners, the council will now pursue the possibility of Bingley having a Changing Places facility.

“There is a huge amount of work still to be done in a very short space of time and within a tight budget but BTC is committed to ensuring Bingley benefits from accessible public toilets.”

The campaign for Changing Places toilets has been backed by a Bingley school for pupils with severe learning difficulties and complex needs.

The head teacher, staff and pupils of Hazelbeck and Beckfoot Trust, based in Wagon Lane, sent letters of support to the campaign.

Beth McPhail, Hazelbeck School’s head of school, said: “Our curriculum is based on developing young people’s life skills and understanding their local community. As part of our work we have regular visits to Bingley.

“Having a Changing Place would allow more of our school population to access their local community and develop the skills that they need to prepare them for future life.”

The decision to go ahead was made at BTC’s meeting which set the council’s budget and precept for 2018-2019.

In the next financial year, the precept for a Band D property will be £16.31, a 2.19 per cent rise on the current £15.96.

BTC will now be putting forward a proposal for a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) of the public site.

BTC will also apply to the Government for a loan from the Public Works Loans Board to help fund the work.