East Devon village seeks to take ownership of public toilets

Newton Poppleford Parish Council has submitted a bid

An East Devon village want to take ownership of its public toilets so it can improve them.

East Devon District Council has been approached by Newton Poppleford Parish Council with a proposal what is called a community asset transfer.

At present, the parish council operates the loos in School Lane car park, which is also owned by by the district council, and pays the district a “peppercorn rent.”

Besides improving the toilets, the parish council also wants to change part of the building into a store for emergency flood defence equipment.

East Devon District Council officers felt it made sense to transfer the block to the parish council.

Some councillors at an asset management forum this week also suggested it might make sense to transfer ownership of the car park to the parish council, too, given it was free to use and thus doesn’t generate income for the district.

Cllr Paul Hayward (Independent, Axminster), who previously worked for Newton Poppleford Parish Council said he was aware of the history of the toilet block.

“It is a very old site and is not very secure, and has [previously] been a haven for anti-social behaviour,” he said.

“I know the parish has mooted not having the toilet, but public opinion in Newton Poppleford is that residents relish it being there, so the parish council has taken the position of trying to keep it in place.”

Cllr Todd Olive (Liberal Democrat, Rockbeare and Whimple) added it seemed “eminently sensible” to transfer ownership of the toilet to the parish, and that East Devon should “get rid of the car park while we’re at it”.

Cllr Hayward acknowledged that Newton Poppleford might not have the money to purchase the car park, but that this “may come down the line”.

The forum voted in favour of progressing Newton Poppleford’s request to take ownership of the toilets.