CAMPAIGNERS are set to gather ahead of a hustings event in Poole tonight to protest over the recent closure of public toilets across the borough.

It comes after the Daily Echo launched a campaign last week to have the toilets reopened, after receiving an unprecedented level of correspondence from residents furious about the policy.

Councillors agreed to move forward with the next phase of the closure programme earlier this year.

Among those axed were Baiter Park, the Haven, Sandbanks Road, Branksome Park, Alexandra Park and the toilets at Poole bus station.

Tonight the candidates hoping to become the next MP for Poole will be greeted by protesters waving placards as they arrive at St James’ Church for the hustings event.

Poole resident Bob Lister, one of the people who organised the protest, said it was hoped some candidates would support calls to reopen the public toilets.

Cllr John Rampton, cabinet member for environmental services, at Borough of Poole, has faced criticism over the decision. He has also come under fire from residents who claim he has not responded to their concerns.

But Cllr Rampton says he has written to residents explaining in detail the reasons behind the decision and the options moving forward.

In a statement he said: "In locations where toilets have closed and the Community Toilet Scheme is not an option, the council is exploring alternative solutions where a local business or stakeholder could take on the running of the toilets.

"This is absolutely in line with the original decision and has been expressed many times.

"By 2019/20 Poole will receive no funding for local services. In all, Poole has to find further savings and efficiencies of over £23million between 2017 and 2020. The council has had to make difficult decisions, and with little doubt, more are to come.

"The truth is that this Conservative cabinet have facilitated the provision of more toilets available in Poole than before the current review, and we hope to add even more."

He added: "It seems strange that Poole is being targeted in this press campaign when we have done so much more, and so much better than many other councils who now have virtually no public toilets and no community toilet scheme. Poole still has 15 public toilets open and around 24 Community Toilet Scheme members."