A north-east community group has taken over responsibility for a public toilet, facing closure by the local authority.
Earlier this year, Aberdeenshire Council announced a raft of rural toilet blocks across the region were to be closed in an effort to cut costs.
The authority spends around £1million a year maintaining facilities and announced plans to cut that by £300,000 in closing 23 sites.
However, there was a backlash from many communities and a number of groups have agreed to take over the management of their local conveniences.
Yesterday, members of New Deer Community Association were handed the keys to the village’s toilets on Main Street after drawing up a plan to keep them operational.
Group member Helen Young said: “The announcement it was to be closed came to us as a letter. We weren’t really looking for any extra jobs – we already oversee the public hall – but felt we couldn’t let it happen.”
The association looked at the cost and “feasibility” of the scheme and, after the authority agreed to part-fund their maintenance with a £1,200 grant, took on the responsibility.
Mrs Young added: “Shutting it down is a backward step when we’re trying to take the village forwards. The only way we’ve managed to make it work is to ask the village orderly to open it up and to hire a cleaner.”
The facilities will be open from 7am-6pm on weekdays and are available on request at the village chemist on Saturdays. No Sunday service will be provided.
The community association will still have to find around £600 next year to continue to operate the service. The toilets will initially be overseen by the group for one year on a trial basis.
Central Buchan councillor, Norman Smith, who handed over the keys to Mrs Young, welcomed the enthusiasm of the association.
He said: “It’s good to see the community going forward with that. They’re important in the villages.
“With the cutbacks, a lot of toilets are getting closed, but communities have the opportunity to take them on and get a small grant towards it.”
Mr Smith added that “comfort partnerships”, when private hotels or shops opened their toilets for public use, were proving successful.
