HEATED discussions took place among Winsford councillors this week when the issue of reopening the town centre public toilets was brought up at a council meeting.

Members discussed the issue of having no public toilets in the town centre and one councillor was challenged by fellow members when he spoke about refugees.

Cllr Charlie Parkinson said: “We have got toilets for refugees, we have toilets for asylum seekers, but we cannot get toilets for our residents.

"Winsford is the only town in the borough without public toilets.

“MAR [the town centre owners] have just walked away and they are ignoring the issue.

"I have seen mums queueing at the toilets in Asda to use the baby changing facilities.

"It’s a sorry state when mums have to go to Asda because there is no changing facilities in the town centre.”

Labour councillor Dave Edwards took issue with Cllr Parkinson’s comments saying that the Lib Dem member was turning the discussion ‘political’.

Members voted in favour of writing to both Cheshire West and Chester Council and town centre owners MAR asking to reopen the public toilets.

Cllr Mike Kennedy said: “They decided to close the toilets due to them being vandalised and being used for drug abuse and that was the answer at the time.

“I feel the security of the toilets in regard to them being vandalised was down to MAR and I think we need to go back to the town centre management to ask about getting them reopened.”