WEST Somerset Council came under fire this week after announcing the closure of eight public toilets and the partial closure of a ninth without warning.

Parish and town councillors across the area have been involved in talks for some months about taking over a range of services - including public toilets - from the cash-strapped district authority or risk losing them altogether.

But councillors in at least two areas affected - Williton and Watchet - say the closures now being imposed, although only temporary from November to March, had never been mentioned during the recent discussions about the long-term future of the facilities.

And they say the unexpected move, at such short notice, has dented their confidence in the entire services transfer process.

The toilets affected are at Exford, Kilve, Selworthy, Market Street in Watchet, Central car park in Porlock, Church Street in Dunster and the Carousel and Blenheim Gardens in Minehead.

Williton was initially told that its only public toilets in Killick Way would close but the district council has since admitted that was a mistake and it intends to keep open the one disabled toilet there.

Letters announcing the closures arrived on the doorsteps of local councils within the last week and initially warned that the facilities would shut on November 7.

But after lobbying from irate councillors, district chiefs have agreed to put the date back to November 30, giving the areas affected the opportunity to raise any concerns.

In a strongly worded letter to district council environment and services group manager Steve Watts,Williton Parish Council said it had entered into the discussions over the transfer of services in good faith.

"At no point during those discussions was it ever indicated that the district council was planning to close the toilets in Killick Way within this financial period," the council said.

"We cannot express enough our disappointment at this recent decision.

"The district council has on many occasions mentioned the importance of Williton as a rural centre and the type of businesses that exist within Williton are geared towards everyday life rather than influenced by seasonal changes.

"In consequence, the demand for these facilities will remain throughout the winter months.

"This recent decision provides Williton Parish Council with very little confidence to proceed with these discussions when the district council is prepared to undermine the process by making unilateral decisions such as this without any prior discussion with this council."

Councillors in Watchet are also unhappy and had already secured a stay of execution until the end of November following an emergency meeting with district council officers and councillors on Tuesday.

Clerk Sarah Reed said: "We have been involved in these 'devolution and delegation' talks about the transfer of services for some time and we have always been very co-operative and given every assistance we can.

"To have this suddenly slapped on us, out of the blue, is just unacceptable.

"During our discussions with the district council we were told that none of the toilets would be closed until October 2012.

"We were assured that no closures would be implemented until next year so this has come as a total shock.

"We are unhappy about the timescale and the lack of notice and we are now wondering if the Market Street toilets will ever be reopened."

Watchet will discuss the issue at its next full council meeting on November 14.

In a statement, district council spokesman Stacey Beaumont said parish and town councils had been asked to contact the authority if they knew of any circumstances why the winter closures should not go ahead.

"Provision of public conveniences is not a legal duty of the council, which has to make savings due to severe cuts to its grant funding by the Government," she said.

"Extra savings are required this year and this is why some winter closures have been proposed ahead of the outcomes of the devolution discussions, which are about their long-term future."

Ms Beaumont said the council was trying to minimise the current impact of cuts on its discretionary services by maintaining a service in settlements where there was more than one facility.

The toilets in Harbour Road, Watchet, Dunster Steep in Dunster and Doverhay in Porlock would remain open, as would three of Minehead's five public conveniences.

"The council is listening and if local councils wish to contact us to let us know of any circumstances they think we should consider or to let us know if they need more time to discuss the proposals, we are happy to work with them," she said.

However, in a separate statement, district council leader Cllr Tim Taylor said he regretted any lack of consultation with parish and town councils over the temporary closures.

"This is unacceptable and is particularly unfortunate since it follows some very productive discussions that the district council has been having with parish and town councils over working more closely together with them to protect and preserve services in West Somerset," he said.

Cllr Taylor said the authority had taken note of the comments made and was trying to embed consultation into its procedures.

He said the decision to close certain toilets had been taken by the council's asset management group - whose members include officers and councillors - but it had been made clear the closures could be challenged and towns and parishes could ask for the matter to be reconsidered.

However, Cllr Taylor said the original November 7 closure date was too tight a deadline.

"In these financially challenging times, the district council has a duty to spend taxpayers' money efficiently and not unnecessarily.

"Certain toilets in the district, particularly in a parish where there is more than one set, may not be necessary at a time when there are fewer visitors to the district."