The council needs to “come clean” on its U-turn on public toilet closures, Conservative councillors have demanded.

The Conservative group has called for more details about which toilets have been saved from closure after the council cancelled plans to shut more than a dozen across the city.

Councillors for the party claim that council leader Phelim Mac Cafferty has only said they plan to open “as many toilets as possible” and say campaigners have not been reassured whether their local toilets will be among those saved from cuts.

Conservative spokesman for the environment, transport and sustainability Robert Nemeth said that residents deserved clear answers ahead of the city’s budget.

He said: “Public toilet is clearly the big topical issue in the city at the moment and the focus of budget debate.

“Over 13,000 residents have now signed petition against the council’s proposals.

“The council’s statement on their U-turn has been vague and lacking in detail. They have not reassured the public, who continue to demand answers.

“We would like to see the council publish a list of all toilets that they are going to save, prior to the budget meeting, so that no one is in any doubt as to the situation.”

Two petitions calling for toilets in the city to be spared from cuts were presented at a council meeting last week. In response, Cllr Mac Cafferty said £400,000 more was needed to keep all of the city’s toilets open and questioned where the money could be found.

Tory finance spokesman Alistair McNair said budget papers showed the council was not providing good value for money for residents.

Cllr McNair said: “Brighton and Hove City Council is one of the highest spending unitary authorities in the country - but is delivering some of the worst services.

“Residents across the city, who are asked to pay some of the highest fees and charges in the country, do not have their rubbish collected regularly and continue to suffer high parking charges which affect struggling families and the disabled and puts off tourists visiting us.

“We do not have any faith in the current financial management of the city by this administration, which is wasting money left, right and centre on all sorts of luxury items and pet projects at a time they simply cannot be afforded and at the expense of basic services.

“This is particularly the case with its insourcing policies which have wasted tens of millions of pounds unnecessarily.

“The Greens and Labour have not kept a tight rein on the city’s finances or staff and have both shown over the past four years that they cannot run the city effectively.”

The council has said more than £30 million of the council’s budget will be invested in providing essential services, including increased maintenance and cleaning costs of public toilets.

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Cllr Mac Cafferty said: “This is one of the most difficult budgets the council has faced in my 12 years as a councillor and we’re doing everything we can to protect vital council services.

“We’ve been honest with the city by discussing the tough decisions and the complexity of the problems we face with our valued staff and trade unions, residents, partners, businesses and the city councillors from the other parties.”

Councillors will debate the planned budget for the following year in a special council meeting next Thursday.