A ROW over the closure of a village's conveniences has been reported to a council watchdog.

Councillor John Shuttleworth fears that the decision by Wear Valley District Council to close toilets in the village of Daddry Shield, near Stanhope, will be detrimental to its plans to increase tourism in the dale.

He has now reported the council to the Audit Commission over the plans surrounding the facility, which will also see the demolition and replacement of two public conveniences at nearby Edmundbyers and St John's Chapel.

The row started following a report which revealed that all three toilets were in need of repair.

Coun Shuttleworth claims that none of the facilities need replacing and that it would be cheaper to upgrade the three toilet blocks rather than demolish all three and replace just two of them.

He said: "The toilets at Daddry Shield are very well used and when we are trying to encourage tourists, cyclists and the like, it sends out all the wrong messages to demolish good toilet facilities.

"I would suggest that this is the most modern of the council toilets and should be retained."

Coun Shuttleworth said he has obtained quotes for the refurbishment work which he has presented to the district council.

He said: "If my costings were carried out, there is still a clear saving which the acting director and his understudies have not taken into account."

Max Coleby, acting director of community services at the district council, said the council's community services committee had discussed the proposals at length.

He said that the number of toilets in the district was being reduced from 15 to 11 and the council needed to provide facilities that would last another 20 to 30 years.

He said: "We have to take into consideration the whole of the district, and the distance between the toilets at Daddry Shield and the one at St John's Chapel is 0.6 of a mile. There is only one in Bishop Auckland."

He added: "We have put the work out to tender and will not make a decision until we have all the quotes in, and that includes the quote submitted by Coun Shuttleworth.

"There is not much difference between them.''