THE BYE Street toilets are set to finally re-open shortly after councillors agreed to a six-month pilot. 

The pilot for Ledbury Town Council to take over the management of and re-open the toilets has been given the green light by councillors.

Members of Love Ledbury, which has a licence agreement to operate the toilets, Ledbury Town Council and Herefordshire Council recently had a long-planned meeting to discuss the future of the toilets.

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Following this, councillors voted to instruct town clerk Angela Price to sign the 
draft partnership agreement with Love Ledbury and the town council and 
work to re-open the toilets very soon.

A structural survey will also take place to assess damage to the toilets with the town clerk set to follow up with the Herefordshire Council estates officer. 

The toilets, which are owned by Herefordshire Council and have been managed by Love Ledbury, have been largely unused for around a decade. 

In November 2023, an agreement was made between Love Ledbury, a community group set up to support town projects, and Ledbury Town Council whereby the authority would take on the management of the Bye Street toilets followed by a review.

However, the pilot wasn't implemented in the 11 months since and the toilets remained closed during that time. 

Cllr Bradford has been a vocal critic against the town council taking on the toilets. 

He said he was still very sceptical that the decision was the right one.

The terms of the original draft partnership agreement last for 12 months with a 'breakpoint' for both parties to be considered at six months.

The agreement would see Ledbury Town Council take on several responsibilities for the toilets, including determining and taking responsibility for the opening hours of the facilities.

The draft agreement would also see the authority take charge of determining and delivering the daily cleaning schedule for the toilets and be responsible for responding to any additional or emergency cleaning. 

And the council could be responsible for the cost of any routine maintenance and new repairs which will need to be undertaken.

Love Ledbury was unavailable for comment.