WORK to bring Bingley’s town centre toilets back into use, and create new, more central space for its Town Council, is pressing ahead.

The town’s public toilets have been closed for six months, ever since Bradford Council withdrew funding for most of the district’s public toilets at the and of the 2017/18 financial year.

Bingley Town Council has since been working towards taking over the toilet block, in Jubilee Gardens, near the entrance to Myrtle Park, through a community asset transfer.

The plan is to retain public toilets in the building, but convert part of it into offices for the council - which is currently based in rented office space in Cottingley Community Centre.

It would include an office, meeting room and storage space - bringing the Council into a space in the centre of the town.

Since it was set up in 2016, the Town Council has taken on a number of responsibilities in the town, including organising regular markets.

The Chair of the Council says public toilets are a facility that should be available in “any civilised town” and that any long period without toilets would tarnish Bingley’s reputation.

The Council has now begun the next stage of their project by advertising for tenders to employ a project manager to oversee the conversion of the toilets.

The Town Council is also looking into installing a “Changing Places” facility in neighbouring Bingley Pool, would would provide toilet facilities for people with mobility issues.

Ros Dawson, chair of Bingley Town Council, said: “Our plan is a cost-effective way of working towards Bingley once again having public toilets, essential to any civilised town and particularly in Bingley where the Town Council is working to encourage more people to shop, visit and enjoy all the town’s amenities.

“The redevelopment will provide the Town Council with affordable and central office accommodation from which it can support and deliver all the many activities that are improving our community.”

She said the office space would mean the Council would no longer have to rent out space, and would be much more accessible to their constituents.

Once the toilets are operational, the Town Council will manage and maintain the toilets and will occupy the office and will employ a cleaner to clean the toilets on a daily basis.

People have until November 7 to submit their application for the project manager role.

Bradford Council has pulled out from providing public toilet facilities in a number of towns and villages in the district in recent years.

There has been huge opposition to many of the closures, which the Council says were required due to central government cuts to councils.

In areas that have town or parish councils, these groups have been offered the chance to take on the toilets.

In May Baildon’s public toilets were re-opened after being transferred over to Baildon Town Council.