CHEPSTOW Town Council will contribute £250 towards the additional cleaning and maintenance costs to Chepstow Methodist Church for the use of its lavatory by the public.

The church provides a service to the Chepstow community with classroom and meeting rooms running throughout the day.

John Westlake, of the Church Property Team, said the church is next to the bus station and is being increasingly used by the public and bus passengers because there is no provision there.

He said: “In addition, when our premises are closed, some members of the general public (mainly males) urinate, etc, outside our side entrance door or round in the passageway at the back of the church.”

“Our current estimate of the additional cost of cleaning and maintaining the toilets, and cleaning up outside is around £500 per year,” added Mr Westlake.

In December, the town council earmarked reserves of £26,000, together with £14,028 from Monmouthshire council, to provide a toilet for shoppers and bus users by turning an empty one-bedroom flat immediately opposite the bus station on Thomas Street into a public lavatory that will open between 8am and 7.30pm.

Councillors considered a £500 request for funding by the church.

However, they agreed on providing £250 and also on encouraging the church to submit an application for the balance of funding from the Lower Wye Area Committee.