City plans to shut 10 public loos

NEARLY a third of Derby's public toilets have been earmarked for closure by the city council.

Councillor Joe Naitta, the councillor responsible for leisure and culture in Derby, is proposing to shut 10 of the city's 31 public toilets because, he says, there is not enough money in the budget to make them "fit for purpose".

And he said they had become outdated and in some cases, havens for drug users and criminals. Toilets on the hit list include those at the Eagle Market, Markeaton Park Island, the Assembly Rooms and The Spot.

But British Toilet Association director Mike Bone said: "Public toilets are an essential service. We think councils should spend money on improving toilets rather than shutting them to make quick savings."