A FURTHER eight public toilets will be closed in Poole leaving only 15 open out of 30 before closures began.

The borough cabinet agreed to the move at a meeting on Tuesday in the face of objections from opposition councillors.

Responding to these objections, Cllr Mohan Iyengar said: "Nobody wants to do this at all, to make these changes.

"We have got the spectre in the background of the most draconian financial challenge to this council."

The borough says the new wave of closures will save £100,000 in addition to the £193,000 already recouped by other public toilet closures.

Opposing the plans, Mark Howell told the meeting: "Looking forward, we have an ageing population that needs to use public toilets.

"This is just not viable in the public eye."

The portfolio holder, Cllr John Rampton, said the toilets would cost too much to maintain if left open.

"This leaves 15 public toilets still open in Poole, we are still spending £200,000 a year doing that, on a non-statutory service," he said.

"These proposals are not to demolish the toilets, they are simply being mothballed.

"Should the financial landscape change, perhaps through local government reorganisation, maybe, just maybe, we might be able to reopen them."

He said "around 20" businesses and community groups had signed up to the 'community toilet' scheme, providing alternative facilities in areas where public toilets have already been shut.

"They provide facilities of much higher quality," he said.

"Public toilets, because we have no capital budget for repairing them, are not in the best state."

The toilets closing are at Baiter Park, Branksome Recreation Ground, Alexandra Park, Charborough Road (Broadstone Recreation Ground), Constitution Hill, Parkstone Park, Poole Road, and The Haven.

At least 13 out of the 18 public conveniences in Bournemouth - excluding seafront toilets - are also up for closure, with others transferred to different owners. A final decision is due in February.