WORK is set to get underway on two of Bodmin’s public toilets – but one will come with a charge upon reopening.

Bodmin Town Council has confirmed that work to demolish and install a new toilet block at Fair Park as well as repairs to the facility on Higher Bore Street is due to commence shortly.

At the Fair Park, the dilapidated and relatively inaccessible toilet block is due to be demolished and replaced with a new modular toilet block, provided by Healthmatic.

A fee is set to be implemented by the town council in a bid to reduce the impact and cost of persistent vandalism to the council precept payers.

The existing toilet block is due to be demolished by the end of February, with the replacement installed and operational by the end of the summer.

While the council plans to implement a charge for using the toilet, there was a lack of enthusiasm for making it a ‘contactless only’ option as proposed by Healthmatic.

The solution offered by the company comprised of a contactless only card machine, which has a minimum charge of 40p per use, in addition to a £450 cost for the machine, a £10 per month subscription and a transaction charge of 2.95 per cent per transaction.

Councillors decided that they were not happy to accept the proposal for a contactless-only machine and voted to ask the estates manager to assess alternatives and return with different proposals.

Meanwhile, a toilet closed after vandalism on Higher Bore Street is set to reopen in the near future after councillors agreed to fund the cost.

It is believed that the repair of broken tiles and facilities in the toilets are set to cost the council approximately £3,000, with a quote issued based on current costs given as £2,650 plus VAT.