IT will come as a great relief to Minehead residents that you will still be able to relieve yourself in the town's public toilets for another year at least.

Minehead Town Council decided it has nothing to loos by taking over the town's public toilets for one year once West Somerset District Council stops operating them next April.

At Monday night's amenities and general purposes committee meeting, the council unanimously voted on a motion to agree in principle to take the toilets over for one year, and the matter will now go to the finance committee in July.

Chairman of the committee Cllr Roger Thomas said that unless the council did something the toilets would close next year.

Mayor of Minehead, Jean Parbrook said: "The West Somerset District Council cannot afford to keep the toilets open, but we must consider that this is one of the most important things that matters to our residents.

"I think in the short term we should take them all on. West Somerset District Council's leader came before this council and told us he would sell them to us for a pound, and he would pay the pound."

"If we keep all of them open for a year we can evaluate which ones we believe are worth keeping open in the long-term."

Cllr Andrew Parbrook echoed the sentiment, adding: “This is a very important issue because of the importance of tourism to the town, and the demographic of the local community.”

Councillor Gary Miele said he agreed that the town council should take them over, but emphasised the importance of making sure they were in decent condition before agreeing to anything.

In a bid to help balance the budget, cash-strapped West Somerset Council will no longer keep the district's public toilets open from next year.

WSDC will keep the toilets open until April in order to give parish councils and local community organisations planning time should they wish to keep the lavatories open.