PRUDHOE Town Council has faced an inconvenient truth about the town’s public conveniences.

The public toilets at Neale Street in the town centre are set to be closed in a county council money-saving scheme.

Following a review of the 62 council-run public toilets, blocks in Bellingham, Hexham and Prudhoe are set to be closed.

The closure was discussed at a meeting between town councillors and Northumberland County Council’s area manager for neighbourhood services Ray Weallans.

Mr Weallans said that counters recording usage levels at the Neale Street toilets had documented low numbers compared with other public conveniences in the town.

He also noted that the block, by the Prudhoe United Services Club building, was currently closed following a recent arson attack.

Public toilet blocks at Tyne Riverside Park and Road Ends, opposite the Doctor Syntax pub, will both remain open and the Road Ends conveniences will be renovated.

Discussing the issue at last week’s town council meeting, councillors appeared to accept the decision.

They also discussed how the ‘You’re Welcome’ scheme, which encourages businesses to make their toilets available to the public, could be extended in the town.

Chairman and town mayor Eileen Burt told the meeting that the chairman of Prudhoe Community Partnership, Charles Hope, had agreed to include the Spetchells Centre in the scheme.

Coun. Glenn Simpson aired what he described as a ‘controversial opinion’ on the subject.

He said: “I don’t think the county council should deal with small-scale services like this.

“It has to look after children and adult services, and then spend £600,000 on toilets.

“I think it’s difficult to see the scale of the cost and say that all services like these should be paid for by the county council.”

Mayor Eileen Burt said: “The county council doesn’t seem to want to transfer assets in the way the previous administration did.

“Yes, this town council could take it on, but we would have to raise the precept.

“Some smaller towns may not have the means to do that.”

Coun. Jennifer McGee added: “We should be grateful that the county council is still maintaining these toilets and keeping them open for the people of Prudhoe.

“They are well-used and more people are coming to the town, hopefully because, following recent events, they’ve seen what we have to offer.

“Visitors and the people of Prudhoe need public toilets.”