COMPLEX options on the future of closure- threatened public toilets in Shipley, Bingley and the St Ives Estate have been revealed ahead of a crucial meeting this week.

Bradford Council has asked its Shipley Area Committee to weigh up different options by which a shrunken budget can be stretched to run five toilet blocks for the cost of two - now raising fresh doubts over the future of loos in Baildon and Saltaire.

Seven options will be considered by the committee, which has the power to make a final decision on the future of the toilets after strongly supported campaigns by groups fighting to preserve amenities in their areas.

Thousands of people have signed petitions against the closures of toilets at Bingley, Shipley and St Ives which were presented to Bradford Council in July.

Councillors then opted not to make any decisions and passed the baton to Shipley Area Committee.

The budget for 2015/16 is only £31,198 which is the approved cost of keeping toilets open at Caroline Street, Saltaire (£22,168) and Northgate, Baildon (£9,000) - which were initially spared the axe.

But now one of the proposal is to split that figure to provide varying degrees of service in all five locations, Saltaire and Baildon, plus Shipley, Bingley and St Ives.

And despite stating that officers would not recommend that Shipley and Bingley loos operate unstaffed due to the risk of vandalism the report then offers the seven "scenarios" some of which contain that as a possibility.

Cleaning and maintenance costs will actually be lower due to the scrapping of a mobile cleaning unit as shown by the cost of Baildon having fallen by £5,075.

However, only one scenario has all the toilets remaining functional in some form at a total cost of £30,231but that would involve removing attendants from Bingley, Shipley, and Saltaire toilets.

Other equations involve part closures, temporary staffing or permanent closures.

Toilets at popular beauty spot St Ives only face closure in one of the scenarios and chairman of its Friends, Pam Laking said she was still hoping for a re-think.

"It's a ridiculous situation and we all believe there is a human rights issue involved.

"This is such an important decision that there should be a stay of execution and other ideas explored before it goes back to full council," she said.

Ros Dawson, chairman of Bingley Community Council Group, said while it was positive that officers had made a lot of effort, it all came down to hard cash.

"Bradford Council should look at how it administers funds across the whole district and find some more money," she said.

"Generating more income from the loos charges or advertising must be fully explored."

Barry Cooper, chairman of Shipley Town Centre Business Partnership, said it was wrong such an awkward decision had fallen to the Area Committee which meets at Shipley Town Hall on Wednesday from 6pm.

He said: "I hope this is the start of serious consultation with the people and that the council will listen to what people are actually telling them - the taxpaying public deserve public toilets."