DISTRICT councillors have agreed to ask the town council whether it will accept responsibility for them.

The move on Tuesday by the full district council was made as the dispute continued over quoted figures for operating and maintaining the toilets.

The men's toilet next door to the town hall in the Market Place belongs to the town council, but the one for women 100yds away is owned by Richmondshire, which operated both blocks and decided to close them to save money.

The full district council agreed by 18 votes, with three abstentions, to offer the women's toilet free of charge to the town council in perpetuity or to lease it on a full tenant repair basis for a peppercorn annual rent of £1, whether this was demanded or not.

Council leader John Blackie, who proposed the move, said: "Here is an opportunity for the town council to take up the mantle on behalf of the people they purportedly represent."

One of the three councillors abstaining was Richmond member John Harris, who pointed out that the women's toilet was in poor condition and that the town council would need to commit itself to an initial funding of £2,000.

Coun Sheila Clarke said: "I would like to think that the district and town councils can work together to solve this problem."

Coun Tony Pelton called for the toilets to be reopened immediately as a gesture of goodwill towards the community and visitors.

After the meeting, Coun Russell Lord, Mayor of Richmond, said the town council resources committee on May 9 would look at the district council's running costs. "We have not precepted for this," he added.

District councillor Paul Cullen conducted research which indicated that reopening the women's toilet for six months would cost about £3,000, offset by sponsorship by businesses and honesty boxes involving payment for use.

District and town councillor Stuart Parsons, a former mayor, said initial figures from Richmondshire following discussions with the town council indicated that it would probably cost the town between £4,000 and £6,000 to reopen both toilets for six months, equating to a maximum total annual cost of £12,000.

Coun Parsons said: "How can Richmondshire now justify the original costings of £29,000 which were presented twice to the resources committee? Where has the other £17,000 gone?