Wyre residents have been left with crossed legs this week as councillors get ready to decide whether seven sets of public toilets are to close.

Council cabinet members will meet on Monday to decide whether to close the seven shortlisted sites around the borough in an effort to reduce the authority's annual £400,000 public convenience bill.

Wyre currently has 23 public toilets after an additional site at North Promenade, Cleveleys, was demolished to make way for the Cleveleys Sea Front development scheme.

It is claimed the move - which affects sites at Station Road and the boating lake, Fleetwood; Brighton Avenue and the bus station, Cleveleys; Ashdell Bowling Club, Thornton; The Mount, Preesall and the Knott End ferry slip - could save the council more than £18,000 each year.

The authority is already looking into the possibility of subcontracting the provision of toilet services at the borough's remaining 16 sites to an 'external' company - a move which could see a partnership between Wyre and its neighbours, Blackpool Borough Council.

And there have been meetings with two companies, including Blackpool's contractor - Danfo - which currently has a 15-year contract with the resort.

In a report presented to the cabinet in September, the council's Public Conveniences Task Group chair, Cllr Donald Lawrenson, claimed that a public consultation exercise, involving more than 200 Wyre residents, revealed that the majority of people were disappointed with the standards of public loos in the borough.

His report stated: "The task group has concluded the current public convenience service is failing to meet the expectations of respondents, with a clear majority indicating both the cleanliness and overall standards of the convenience as average, poor or very poor.

It is hoped that, should the proposals go ahead, the move will help improve standards of the remaining conveniences.

A Wyre spokesman said: "The decision to recommend the closure of these seven sites has been a difficult one to take.

"But the plan would save the council money which could then be ploughed back into the improvement and operation of the remaining 16 sites."