HAWORTH parish councillors negotiating to take on the management of their village's public toilets are seeking assurances on the condition these facilities will be left in by Bradford Council.

The district council has said it will withdraw funding from Haworth's two public toilet blocks – in Haworth Central park and near the Bronte Parsonage Museum – from April next year in order to cut costs.

But Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council is fighting to try and keep the loos open.

At the latest meeting of the parish council on Monday, (Dec 11) Cllr David Mahon updated members on the latest meeting held on this subject last week.

"We had quite a good meeting, with mostly councillors there," he said.

"We did move forward, but we are sending a letter to Bradford Council asking about the state of the toilets. We'd like a bit more verification of what state they are in.

"Ilkley have had a provisional agreement that they will have one of their toilets done up, so I think we should have the same thing.

"I know the men's toilets at the Bronte Parsonage car park really do need an overhaul."

Cllr Gary Swallow, chairman of the parish council, agreed that the last meeting to progress the matter had been constructive.

But he also warned: "We don't want to take the toilets over and then get lumbered with a high maintenance bill. These toilets have been neglected for decades."

Members of the parish council voted unanimously in favour of opening negotiations for the asset transfer at their meeting in November.

Cllr Swallow then cautioned that this was only the start of what could be a lengthy process.

The parish council has previously warned that losing the village's public loos would be a blow to what is a popular tourist destination.