Loo bid step closer

A bid to save Mirfield’s public toilet is edging closer to success, Mirfield town councillors heard this week.
NEW HOPE Councillors hope to keep Mirfield's public toilets open for the good of the community.NEW HOPE Councillors hope to keep Mirfield's public toilets open for the good of the community.
NEW HOPE Councillors hope to keep Mirfield's public toilets open for the good of the community.

Coun David Pinder updated the meeting with details of the town council’s negotiations with Kirklees Council.

The toilets have been run by Mirfield Town Council since March this year after Kirklees announced it would shut them, but the two parties had failed to reach an agreement on the terms of the lease

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The council, which owns the building, had threatened to close the toilets on Friday November 22 because of to unpaid bills.

But Mirfield Town Council’s toilets working group have been discussing the heads of terms which could see them take over the running of the toilets until March next year.

Coun Pinder asked the meeting to allow him to go back to Kirklees to further discuss the terms, with the hope of signing a full contract next month. “If we can’t do that then the toilets will close within 48 hours,” he added.

The town council will have to pick up some of the running costs that Kirklees has incurred since March. The initial figure given was £2290.25, including water and electricity bills, – but the council gave Coun Pinder permission to go back to negotiate on the sum.

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The town council want to use the time between now and April to look at a more sustainable way of keeping the toilets open.

Coun Kath Taylor said: “There are a lot of businesses in this town. If they want people to keep on coming to Mirfield maybe we can look at going into partnership with these companies to keep the toilets open.”

Matthew Ibberson, who is involved with Mirfield Business Bistro, told the meeting a link tunnel between the library and the toilets could be supported by the business community.