How much it will cost to spend a penny at Hartlepool's new public toilets

Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs outlined last month plans to build new toilet facilities at Seaton Carew closer to the main car park for visitors.

This includes a 30p charge to use the toilets, which would provide income to help fund the plans and support additional proposals to keep the nearby beach huts in Seaton Carew.

The new facilities, costing more than £400,000, will be funded from £130,000 from the Neighbourhood Investment Programme with a further £95,000 coming from the Changing Places Fund.

The latest Hartlepool full council meeting unanimously approved the borrowing of £290,000 to complete the funding needed for the project.

Councillor Shane Moore, the leader of the council, said: “This is a really good news story, as it provides new toilet facilities at Seaton Carew and retains the beach huts for the seaside resort.

“The borrowing will be repaid from a 30p charge for the use of the toilet facilities.”

The existing toilets at Seaton Carew Clock Tower are in a listed building which is nearly 90 years old, making them “difficult to maintain” and any refurbishment work “very expensive”.

Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs said issues for the site include significant water usage, flooding, “unpleasant smells”, difficult to address vandalism and antisocial behaviour, and poor disabled facilities.

The proposed new site is set to include nine standard toilets, along with two compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and a “Changing Places Facility”.

Council chiefs will also negotiate the purchase of the beach huts at Seaton Carew to “complement the development of improved toilet facilities”.