MOST of a town's council-run public toilets could close to cut costs.

Toilet attendants employed by Newcastle Borough Council have been told that a review of the facilities has ended, and officers are recommending the majority are shut.

The council runs nine public toilets, including attendant-manned loos in Hassell Street and Merrial Street in the town centre.

The three full-time and four part-time toilet attendants employed by the council have been sent a memo informing them of the review's findings.

It is not yet known if the proposed cuts will result in redundancies, but it is understood that council streetscene manager Steve Middlehurst is in talks with attendants and union representatives.

The memo also suggests that members of the public could be directed to toilets in parks or community centres.

Council leader Simon Tagg said the savings had already been included in the authority's budget, and so cuts were inevitable.

He said: "The toilets have been under review for a few months now, but a final decision has not been taken. One of the options being considered is to have one toilet attending looking after both Hassell Street and Merrial Street. We've also looked at the possibility of streetscene staff taking over responsibility for the toilets.

"We're also looking at the toilets elsewhere in the borough. In Kidsgrove you can have two public toilets within a few hundred yards of each other. I can't say whether or not the plans will involve redundancies."

A council spokesman said it was reviewing the cost of all public toilets, but job cuts were unlikely.

The council provides public toilets in Congleton Road, Butt Lane; Heathcote Street, Kidsgrove; Liverpool Road, Kidsgrove; London Road, Chesterton; Alexandra Road, Wolstanton; Bradwell Lodge, Bradwell; Merrial Street, Newcastle; Hassell Street, Newcastle; and Northwood Lane Community Centre, Clayton.

Former potter Mike Pepper, aged 70, of Suffolk Close, Clayton, said: "I use the toilets at Hassell Street. It would be a big inconvenience if they closed because there is always a steady flow of people there."

Shop assistant Donna Ratcliffe, aged 30, of Church Street, Butt Lane, added: "I wouldn't miss public toilets if they closed because I don't use them, but it wouldn't be good for old people who use them when they are shopping."