AT least four public toilets will be closed in West Somerset this winter in a move designed to try and keep conveniences open during the busier summer months.

West Somerset Council had already agreed in principle to close toilets in Blenheim Gardens and at the Carousel in Minehead, together with loos in Church Street, Dunster and Porlock's central toilets, between November 19 this year and March 15 next year.

But the decision was held in abeyance for an "equalities impact assessment" to be carried out on the impact of the temporary closures.

On Wednesday, cabinet members agreed to go ahead with the closures, which would not include the disabled toilets at the Carousel.

A fifth public toilet in Market Street, Watchet, would only be closed if ongoing discussions with Watchet Town Council proved fruitless.

Cllr Kate Kravis, the council's finance lead member, said the authority accepted the importance of public conveniences to the local community but had to save money.

"If we can make savings through winter closures it stops us having to try and make savings from more widespread closures," she said.

"We probably have more toilets than other areas because we are a tourist area, but that means certain toilets are a lot busier in the tourist season."

Cllr Peter Murphy criticised the equalities impact assessment and said it did not appear to specifically address the issue of winter closures.

He called for a decision on the temporary closures to be deferred to the full council, a call supported by council chairman Cllr Doug Ross, and questioned whether it was worth closing the toilets just to save the council £2,340.

But he was told that by keeping them open the council would make no savings and incur additional costs.

He was also lambasted by Cllr Kravis for suggesting the saving was too small and the toilets should be kept open.

"I can't believe anyone is trivialising a saving of £2,300 - it would be awful to lose a grant to Engage or the CVS as we give both organisations a similar amount of money each year," she said.

"If we don't find that money through winter closures we will have to find the money from somewhere else.

"We are all absolutely aware of the massive financial problems we are facing.

"We are making savings to try and keep our toilets open."

Cabinet members did not discuss controversial plans to permanently close up to five public toilets in the district, which would be the subject of further reports in the near future.

The council wants to close a handful of the district's least used facilities in an attempt to save around £80,000 by making changes to its current contract with waste services provider Veolia.

But even if councillors do support the idea, the toilets may yet be saved from closure as a full public consultation is ongoing and parish and town councillors are being asked if they would like to take on responsibility for the threatened facilities.