Selby District Council is to hand over its public toilets to the private sector, the Evening Press can reveal today.

The "chronic state" of toilets in Selby and Tadcaster town centres have come in for some fierce criticism in recent months.

Bed and breakfast proprietors said the loos presented a poor image of both towns and were proving a big "turn-off" for tourists.

Now council chiefs plan to use a private sector company to look after the toilets and clean them - a job which at present is done by the council's housing maintenance department.

So far the controversial issue has been discussed behind closed doors at Selby Civic Centre, but the Evening Press understands the council is also planning to close public toilets, in Canal Road, Selby, and at the Central Area car park, in Tadcaster.

It is also proposing to charge a 10p levy for all public conveniences in Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn-in-Elmet.

Selby Council has already contracted out its refuse collection and grounds maintenance contracts.

A council source said today that most councillors were in favour of privatising public loos, but the closure of the Canal Road toilets would be fiercely contested.

He said: "These toilets are pretty grotty, but they are conveniently located between the town centre and the Abbots Road estate. They also prevent anglers fishing the canal being caught short."

The closure of the loos in the Central Area car park is also seen as a "bad move" by some councillors - even though they were "advertised" on a gay sex website.

Another source said: "We shouldn't be shutting public toilets down and relying on local pubs to provide them.

"It doesn't matter whether they come under the public or private sector. They badly need to be upgraded, even if it means putting cameras inside to keep the vandals and undesirables away.

"At present we're paying more council tax for fewer services."

Jonathan Leake, who runs a guest house, in Brook Street, Selby, said today: "I fear the chronic state of the toilets could get worse if they are contracted out.

"I would like to see the council retain the toilets and invest some money in them."

Updated: 14:47 Monday, April 15, 2002