DISGRUNTLED councillors have criticised plans to close a toilet block at Barnoldswick's Letcliffe Park.

Pendle Council's executive committee says the toilets, built just 10 years ago, should be closed subject to consultation.

But Coun David Whipp, Barnoldswick's representative on the executive, told the Herald: "Over the last decade numerous attempts have been made to close several of West Craven's public conveniences. Local councillors have fought time and time again to keep them open and the local West Craven Committee has consistently invested considerable amounts of money in improving toilets in Barnoldswick, Kelbrook, Sough and Earby.

"This is an absurd situation, to close one of the most modern public toilet blocks the council owns that was built round about 10 years ago to serve the park and make it a honeypot for tourism and local leisure walkers."

Coun Whipp said the toilets had been built to replace an old Victorian toilet block in the park, which was still standing because the council said demolition would prove too costly.

He said it was "quite ridiculous" that there would now be two redundant toilet blocks on one site, while visitors to the park were left with no facilities at all.

"I told them that what we have now is a ridiculous tale of two toilets!" he said.

Barnoldswick Town Council has now promised to fight the closure plans. This week, councillors Margaret Bell, Alan Buck and Mary Norcross produced a "calling in notice" to Pendle Council's executive asking for the matter to be reconsidered. It will now go back to the council's overview and scrutiny committee for further discussion.

Coun Bell said: "We're not happy at all with this. Where are people going to go now?"

Ian McInery, Pendle Council's operational services manager, said: "Surveys we have had done show that even though they are in a good condition, there is an extremely low usage of these toilets and that they were poorly located. We have in the region of 30 public conveniences throughout Pendle which is a far greater provision than any other district."

Mr McInery said the council had to work continually to keep the toilets up to standard and that the new Disability and Discrimination Act required disabled facilities to be provided.

He said before any decision was made a review would be carried out to look at a potential new use for the toilets and that the West Craven Area Committee and Barnoldswick Town Council would be consulted.