IT could soon cost to spend a penny at the toilets in Falmouth’s Grove Place if plans by Cornwall Council are implemented.

Town councillors were told last week that the county council is to reduce its budget for public toilets by 50 per cent in 2013/14 and is looking at closures, reduced opening times and other “local management” solutions as a result.

Town clerk Mark Williams said: “Cornwall Council is looking to provide 50 per cent of the cost of providing public convenience cleansing for the current year so we need to find local solutions or perhaps open them for six months out of 12.”

Negotiations have been taking place between Cornwall Council and the owners/leaseholders of businesses that are close to the toilets at Gyllyngvase, Castle, Swanpool and Maenporth beaches regarding them taking over responsibility of the facilities.

It had been suggested that the car park service at county take on the toilets at Grove Place but as it does not have the budget to do this, consideration is being given to introducing charges. The proposed Community Interest Company has been approached concerning the toilets on Prince of Wales Pier.

The importance of retaining the town’s public toilets was voiced by councillor Allyson Biggins who said: “Because I work in town I get a lot of complaints about toilets and some of the businesses in town have seen an uplift in people using their premises as a toilet because there is not enough. I am hoping we do not lose them all together.”