PARISH councillors investigating what can be done to save Haworth's public toilets were told it could be possible to run these facilities for much less than it costs now.

Cllr David Mahon updated members of Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council on a plan being drawn up to try and retain the toilet blocks in Haworth Central Park and the Bronte Parsonage Museum car park.

Bradford Council is due to withdraw its own funding support for these toilets in April of next year, as part of a major ongoing cost-cutting programme.

"At the moment these toilets cost about £50,000 a year to run," said Cllr Mahon.

"But about £40,000 of that is wages. I think we could find massive savings, get those costs down, and make some money back.

"This would be particularly possible with the toilets in the park, because there's so much wasted space in that building.

"We know that councils in North Yorkshire which have taken over the management of toilets have recommended removing the turnstiles and putting in honesty boxes instead, because that system has actually worked well for them."

He warned that the damp proofing in the park toilet block has failed and would cost about £5,000 to repair.

He added that Bradford Council has said it will "seriously look" at fixing this problem itself before it hands the block over to any other group.

Parish councillors suggested they would ideally like this assurance in writing.

Cllr Mahon stressed any final decision on what to do with the toilets, including the decision on whether the parish council takes responsibility for them, would come back to the full council to vote on first.

He noted that coach companies have already warned they won't come to Haworth if the village no longer has public toilets available.

Parish council chairman Gary Swallow thanked councillors David and Trudy Mahon for the work they have done to address the issue.

He noted that if the parish council does take over the toilets in future, he would be reluctant for it to employ someone permanently to staff the facilities.

"The problem with taking on more staff is that we'd need to take into account things like employment law, holiday pay and pensions," he said.

"It might be better to contract someone instead."