A MOVE to use 'planning gain' money to fund work to make Williton's public toilets more affordable has been unanimously rejected by parish councillors.

The West Somerset District Council-owned toilets in Killick Way are among the facilities that could be transferred to the parish as part of the cash-strapped district councils cost cutting plans.

But the parish wants the building revamped to create just two unisex toilets, one of which would be for disabled use, to reduce the running costs.

It believed the district council would fund the work but this week parish council chairman Cllr Rosemary Woods said it had been suggested that the parish could make the provision of toilets one of its five priorities for the use of 106 money - the cash developers have to pay to offset the impact of their developments on the local community.

Cllr Bill Vaughan told the monthly parish council meeting on Monday: "I don't see why we should use community money to pay for the refurbishment of the toilets."

Councillors are still reeling from an unexpected proposal to close the Killick Way toilets - bar the disabled unit - for the winter.

The move - not mentioned by the district authority during a series of talks over the future transfer of the facility - should have come into force this week but has been delayed until the end of November after an outcry from a number of local councils faced with similar proposals.

Cllr Vaughan said the parish was being asked to put forward justification for the toilets to remain open.

He said Williton was a working, rather than seasonal centre and questioned who at the district council had made the decision the toilets should be temporarily closed.

The parish was originally assured that any budget cuts affecting the toilets would not be implemented in the current financial year.

And they have now been told that if they agree to the transfer, they would not have to take responsibility for the facilities until 2013.

But Cllr Vaughan said he did not feel confident about any assurance given by the district council.

"When we get to next year, how do we know they won't pull the same trick again?" he said.

Councillors agreed to press for the toilets to remain open during the winter and in the event of closure for the disabled unit to be open to all and not just people with a 'radar' key.