Killyleagh toilets delay is not the fault of council

SIR, — I would wholeheartedly concur with the comments in last week’s issue by Mr. John Huddleston about the absence of public toilet in Killyleagh.

But perhaps before putting pen to paper, he should have contacted Down Council to ascertain the current position about replacing the toilet block at the top of High Street which was destroyed in an arson attack in 2010.

The council’s insurers inspected the fire ravaged toilet block soon after the arson attack and agreed to pay out so it could be replaced.

The local authority was then ready to go to tender to appoint a contractor when it was suggested the council should explore the possibility of seeking agreement from the South Eastern Education and Library Board to make the toilets at Killyleagh Library available to the public.

The suggestion by former Killyleagh councillor Eddie Rea was apparently tabled to help save the council money, but it was a non-starter as a closure threat hung over the town’s library at this time.

When council officers were informed about this they then went to tender for a new toilet block and the contract was awarded. The new facility is currently being constructed and should be transported to Killyleagh shortly.

While there has been a lengthy delay, it is not Down Council’s fault. Had it not been steered down the route of potentially sharing Killyleagh Library’s toilets, the new toilet block at the top of High Street would have been in place long before now.

Yours etc.,

CLLR. BILLY WALKER,

Killyleagh.