Amidst all the hoo-ha about the closure of public toilets in Malvern, Tenbury and Upton, one question that has hardly been addressed is why the town councils in these three centres have not chosen to translate their expressed concerns into actions and taken on the budgetary responsibility for upkeep of the facilities themselves.

Elsewhere, the length and breadth of the country, parish and town councils, quite as much as district councils, provide and maintain public conveniences. In fact, Malvern Town Council is itself responsible for the upkeep of the facility at Victoria Road, Malvern Link. So why does it not take on the Edith Walk toilets as well? Why do not Tenbury and Upton Town Councils take on the second conveniences in their centres, if they feel so strongly that the district council's provision of just one high quality toilet per settlement is insufficient?

All three town councils already spend significant sums on the provision of various amenities and services which, like public conveniences, benefit visitors and tourists quite as much as their own citizens. Moreover, the whole tide of Government thinking now is about decentralisation; about parish and town councils becoming more actively engaged in town-level service responsibilities, in promoting and supporting local trade and tourism, in providing local amenities and in exercising community leadership at this level.

It is a pity that our town councils seem not to see things quite this way. Certainly they have declined to 'put their money where their mouth is' in relation to public toilets, despite being given ample opportunity by the district council.

coun John W Raine (West Ward, MHDC) Brockhill Road, West Malvern.