Heated debate over toilets in Ledbury’s Bye Street continues

Councillor Tony Bradford said the toilets had been left to decay for years and called on Love Ledbury, which has a licence to operate the toilets, to reopen them.

The toilets have been largely closed for over a decade.

Last month, Love Ledbury said it was “beyond frustrating” that the council had refused for the fourth time to launch a joint pilot operation of the Bye Street toilets, despite an agreement to do so being reached at a meeting in November 2023.

At last month’s meeting, the city council was asked to review a draft partnership agreement while discussions continued on longer-term operations and the future of the restrooms.

However, after a lengthy debate, the Council decided not to make a decision on the draft partnership agreement until a meeting had taken place between the Town Council, Love Ledbury and Herefordshire Council.

Councillor Bradford said the toilets were not the council’s responsibility as it did not own them or know how much they would cost.

He added that Love Ledbury has been in charge since 2014 and has barely been open since then.

Love Ledbury is a community group that aims to support good causes in the town.

Councillor Bradford added: “Every time it has been on the agenda, Ledbury Town Council has been unwilling to deal with it.

“Why didn’t they open the toilets, why did they take them over if they had no intention of opening them, what is their financial situation?

“Why didn’t Herefordshire Council take them back and open them up? Why did they leave them to decay? Where did the money come from to get them working again? They belong to Herefordshire Council. Why did they let this happen? And why don’t they run them? It’s their property.”

Councillor Liz Harvey, also a member of Love Ledbury, said: “Bradford Council is entitled to take the personal view that the council should not agree to take over the operation of the toilets.”

“But in doing so he is not entitled to misrepresent the reality of Love Ledbury’s work or to thwart the will of the enlarged council simply because it runs counter to his personal views.

“Councillor Bradford is simply wrong when he says the council has continued to refuse to adopt it – the minutes of the council’s November 2023 full meeting are evidence that a pilot scheme was agreed, run jointly with Love Ledbury.”

A Herefordshire Council spokesman said the toilets were owned by the authority and operated by Love Ledbury under a licensing agreement.

Town Clerk Angela Price said council was due to meet with members of Love Ledbury and the Hereford Estates office last week to discuss the future of the toilets, but due to unforeseen circumstances the meeting was postponed until October 1.