The public toilets at Cross Hills have been saved from closure.

The toilets, located near the Co-op, have been given a lifeline after several letters of support were sent to Glusburn and Cross Hills Parish Council.

“It seems from letters we have received from local groups that there has been no notification from anyone to say we should shut them, so we have resolved to keep them open,” said parish council chairman Coun John Harker.

The parish council took over responsibility for cleaning and maintaining the toilets from Craven District Council in April 2009.

It had considered closing them because of the costs involved.

“They cost us £11,000 a year in maintenance, cleaning and rates and we want to make sure that we spend our precept wisely on behalf of the population,” said Coun Harker.

The parish council embarked on a public campaign to inform villagers about the costs and to ask them if the toilets should remain open.

“When we did our parish plan recently, a large number of people said that they used them,” said Coun Gill Birks.

The parish council negotiated a deal with Craven District Council to reduce the rates charged from £1,668 to £405 per year.

“We have to maintain and clean them, we just wanted a rate that was more acceptable,” said Coun Harker.