TEST Valley council is not handling the issue of the public toilets in George Yard well.

In the early new year, they will consider approving the demolition of an important facility after having put them up not that long ago. This has all been done during the festive season when opposition is less likely to this civic vandalism. It continues a fine tradition confirmed this year with the handling of the leisure centre fiasco where the Tory administration in Test Valley Council yet again disregarded any alternatives put forward by their own councillors or members of the public.

Local residents have been virtually ignored and there has been no real public consultation.

In fact, without the Andover Advertiser, few would be aware of the plans to demolish these community toilets.

Whilst the council has no legal duty to provide toilets, it does have some responsibility for facilities in the town and businesses here. Test Valley draws some monies from business rates, yet it is happy to fund facilities in Romsey which it denies to Andover.

A cynic would suggest that is because Romsey has a flourishing political alternative whilst the Conservatives appear to have a stranglehold over Andover.

The Community Toilet Scheme using businesses to open their toilets to the public has already raised a number of objections. These are based on real issues such as accessibility, viability for disabled people and experience of similar schemes in other towns where the dropout rate has been high.

Andover Town Council, a local champion, on a crossparty basis, has objected to the plan for the demolition. I would suggest that we all lobby our local Tory councillors before the 4 January when they are due to make their decision.

Their contact details are on the TVBC website. We should ask them to reject the Council’s proposal and ask them to think again. This is one New Year resolution that needs doing.

Cllr Luigi Gregori, Charlton Road, Andover.