PLANS to spend £1m on refurbishing public toilets in Moreton, Stow and Bourton are set to get the final go-ahead from Cotswold District Council next week,

The cabinet are set to finally approve the plans which will be fast tracked for a quick completion of the project.

The public would have to pay 20p a time to use the new toilets to help the council recoup some of its expenditure - the £1m will come from this year's budget.

The council has proposed improving the most-used toilets - by the bus stops in Moreton High Street, Church Rooms and Rissington Road in Bourton, and Maugersbury Road and High Street in Stow - to cover any falloff in use caused by the new charge.

A council report on the problem said the poor condition of the facilities and complaints from the public, along with the new charging policy, warranted the fast tracking of the project.

The Church Rooms in Bourton have been cited as of special importance given the popularity of the town for tourists and the fact the building was listed and in need of substantial improvements. There have been complaints from both locals and visitors about the poor condition of the toilets.

The refurbishment of the toilets in Moreton was proposed as long ago as 2003 after a plan for unisex superloos was rejected as being too expensive.

It is estimated that the 20p charge for the toilets would recover 10 per cent of the refurbishment costs, taking into account the drop in usage because of customer resistance to having to pay.

The 20p charges could bring in more than £100,000 a year.