RELIEF at last – Haslemere’s public toilets will stay open under a new town council management deal with Waverley.

A battle royal kicked off earlier this year when the borough council announced it would shut the toilet block in its High Street, with users redirected to local cafes instead, to help plug a £1.5million budget deficit.

The town went on official war footing after Waverley shut its public toilets in Godalming and Farncombe in June, and it was confirmed Haslemere was next in line.

An online petition launched by Haslemere Town Council to save the town’s only public conveniences, triggered an immediate outcry, gaining just under 400 signatures in four days, with 176 comments posted, branding the impending closure “uncivilised” and an “utter joke”.

The town council condemned the move as “utterly unacceptable”, particularly as it would hit disabled users the hardest.

The block contains the only accessible 24/7 disabled toilet facility in the town and it protested closing that could be a case of discrimination against disabled residents.

Determined not to let the High Street toilets shut, the town council has now agreed with Waverley it will manage the facility.

At an extraordinary meeting last Thursday, town councillors voted unanimously to accept and sign a ‘tenancy at will’, with a view of signing a 10-year lease as soon as possible.

Town mayor Malcolm Carter (pictured) said. “We have taken on this facility because we consider that a public convenience is both a basic and respectful requirement for a town the size of Haslemere,”

“We have received many comments from residents, and especially the disabled, and parents of young children, to say this facility gives them confidence to come to Haslemere for shopping and recreation.

“It is our intention to upgrade the facility in the near future to a level that all residents will be confident to use them.

“Once we have signed the lease we will make known our plans.”

A Waverley spokesman said: “The borough council has been informed Haslemere Town Council has agreed to take over the management of the public toilets in Haslemere. Waverley’s officers are working with the town council to finalise the agreement.”

At last week’s meeting, Mr Carter pledged to put £1,000 from his allowance into the kitty to cover any shortfalls there might be in the town council’s community fund towards the running costs.

“I very much look forward to Haslemere having the best kept loos in the country,” Michael Dover said.