THE public toilets regularly used by the thousands of tourists visiting Castle Combe each year face an uncertain future after the parish council said they couldn’t afford to run them.

Wiltshire Council may continue to run the toilets due to their location in a small rural village, popular with tourists, but no official decision has been made.

The costs of running the toilets to the parish council would have been significantly higher than the parish’s own precept, the money raised through council tax.

In 2014/15 the parish’s precept stood at £4,632.33.

Parish clerk, David Ryall, said: “We are not intending to take them on. As it’s really tourist driven, the council decided it was more appropriate for them to be run by Wiltshire Council and that’s being considered by them.

“Castle Combe picks up something like 70,000 visitors a year on average, so these public toilets are well used.

“The parish council made a decision not to take it over, it’s up to Wiltshire Council on their decision whether to keep it open for the vast number of tourists.”

Meanwhile in Chippenham, public toilets in the Bath Road car park, Borough Parade car park and Monkton Park are all at risk of closure by April 1.

Chippenham town council could take on the operational costs of each facility but have yet to make a formal decision.

Council leader, Coun Desna Allen, said: “Wiltshire Council do want to know quite quickly what we are doing.

“Bath Road car park is up for development so why would we want to take it on? It’s up for sale so we would have no reason to take it.

“No decision has been made, it will when it comes to the appropriate meeting. I went to a meeting with Wiltshire Council about the provision, they were clear they want a decision by March 31.”

It is believed that after March 31, Wiltshire Council will close the three public toilets in Chippenham unless they are taken on by the town council.

The strategy and resources committee of Chippenham Town Council are due to meet next on February 24 with the next full council meeting not scheduled until March 16.