Brighton toilet closure plan sparks division at council

A protest against the proposals was staged outside the meeting

Plans to close 18 toilets across Brighton and Hove in East Sussex and introduce charges for those that remain have been debated by councillors.

The proposals by the ruling Green Party went before the city council's environment, transport and sustainability committee on Tuesday.

Tory and Labour members of the committee voted against the plans.

The Greens claim the changes are vital to help the council balance its budget.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Labour councillor Nancy Platts said she had received hundreds of emails from the public and businesses about the effects of the closures.

Green councillor Steve Davis, the committee's co-chair, said Brighton and Hove was in danger of not balancing its budget and could face a Section 114 notice from the government, limiting spending to statutory services only.

He said closing toilets would not necessarily be permanent, as the money generated from charging would be "ring-fenced" to bring "mothballed" toilets back to public use.

The proposals will go to Brighton & Hove City Council's budget policy and resources committee on 23 February.