Bexhill's toilets to get revamp

Rother councillors promised to launch the series of much-needed refurbishments around the town at a meeting of the council's cabinet on Monday.

No time scale has been set as yet but architects have been chosen to come up with renovation designs. Funding for the scheme will be decided upon at a future cabinet meeting.

Councillors said toilets in urgent need of a spruce up included those on East Parade, West Parade and the Marina, as well as Devonshire Square by the train station.

In her report, Madeleine Gorman, the council's head of amenities, said the public toilets along Marina and East and West Parade had suffered from 'extensive' vandalism in recent years.

She said: "It is envisaged that given the intended investment in the Bexhill seafront areas the number of visitors will increase making the future operation of this public conveniences a priority."

She said there was a 'strong demand' for the public toilets in Devonshire Square, particularly among elderly residents and visitors.

Other less urgent projects earmarked for refurbishment include the toilets at Bexhill cemetery, Broadoak Park, Cooden Sea Road, the toilets in Sidley, Little Common recreation ground and the Polegrove bowls area, and the conveniences by the A259 in Little Common.

Council leader Carl Maynard criticised opposition LibDems' claims that the ruling Tories were not spending enough on public toilets.

He said: "We have a clear commitment to continue to provide these sort of conveniences and enhance them.

"I am irritated by the opposition's comments. It becomes a political issue when misinformation is spread by the LibDems.

"Leaflets were handed out to people at the recent Next Wave exhibition saying money should be spent upgrading public conveniences. Well, we are doing just that so to say that we are not is simply untrue."

Cllr Maynard accused the opposition of 'hijacking' the Next Wave exhibition by setting up a political stall at the event and branded the move a 'disgrace'.

Rother District Council currently manages 32 public toilet facilities across the district, which includes those in Rye, Camber, Winchelsea and Battle, as well as Bexhill.

Between April 2008 and April this year the council spent 73,602 in total on public toilets.