People have objected to the possible closure of seafront public toilets to save money.

Eastbourne Borough Council is considering “painful savings” to fill a £2.7 million budget deficit, having already made £3 million in cuts.

Among the proposed savings is a review of the council-owned public toilets as part of a community toilet scheme where businesses could be asked to open their doors to their facilities, while some public toilets could close.

At the council’s cabinet meeting concern was raised over the implications of the possible closure of public facilities, with one audience member heckling the council and calling the proposal “shameful”.

Councillor Stephen Holt, leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, said in the meeting that if toilets were vandalised during the consultation period for the scheme, they could be closed.

READ MORE: Council faces over £100 million budget deficit and will have to make cuts 

He said: “It is an incredibly challenging period of time at the moment and we have to make these savings to set a balanced budget.

“The public toilets will remain open during the consultation, but if they are vandalised we are not going to pay for something which a consultation may close.”

To this, the public gallery erupted into protestations and cries of “shame on you”, as one member of the public implored Cllr Holt to consider the impact on businesses.

Speaking to Cllr Holt, a member of the Friends of Eastbourne Seafront said: “Going to the toilet is not a choice we make. Public toilets are a necessity and needed by everyone.

“It is a good idea to ask people to join this scheme but do not close the toilets.”

She also reported that the group had conducted a survey along Royal Parade, asking the seafront hotels if they would take part. Reportedly, all of them refused and were “horrified” by the suggestion.

The Royal Parade in Eastbourne (Image: Google)Dennis Scard, the chairman of Meads Community Association, also spoke on the issue, saying the scheme will “deter visitors” to the tourist town and would be a “disaster”.

In the agenda for the council meeting, it states that “the cost of providing public conveniences was in excess of £300,000” last year, with associated problems including antisocial behaviour and vandalism, the age and condition of facilities and a high number of complaints on misuse.

The council hopes that the scheme will “protect the overall level of public convenience provision in the town, “make the best use of council resources, “increase the quality of provision” and “improve the resilience of the public conveniences in managing anti-social behaviour and vandalism”.

READ MORE: Beachy Head centre could close due to council cuts

The public consultation will run until October 31, which will also consult on street cleaning in higher areas of footfall, reducing the council’s customer services and considering alternate uses for the town hall.

Other cuts include the closure of the Beachy Head Story, the heritage centre at the site, which will result in staff redundancies. The council is seeking a new operator for the site, which they hope to instate in spring of next year.

A spokeswoman for the council said: “Eastbourne Borough Council understands the importance of public toilets across the town, both to residents and tourists.

“We are proposing moving to a community toilet scheme for Eastbourne. Such a scheme would involve community venues, organisations, groups and businesses making their toilet facilities available to the public or taking on the running of a council-owned public toilet.

“Plans are already in development that could enable this to happen. Ultimately, we would want to ensure sufficient toilet provision for the community continues.

“All Changing Places toilets would remain open, as would the public toilets at the bandstand. The council would create a map and list of participating premises across the town, which would be available online and in paper copy.

“Similar schemes have been set up elsewhere in the South East and have proven to work well, improving the range and quality of toilet provision.

“No decisions have been made and through the consultation we are asking what impact moving to a community toilet scheme might have on people and inviting groups and businesses to come forward to join the scheme.”

In Eastbourne there are five Changing Places toilets, which include facilities for disabled adults and children, while there are a total of 22 council-owned public toilet facilities in the town, according to the council website.