Reisdents and vistors to the Acomb area of York will have access to additional toilet facilities in the future thanks to a new community toilet pilot.

City of York Council's Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services has given the go-ahead to plans to encourage local businesses to open their toliet facilities to the public.

The national Community Toilet Scheme enables local businesses like pubs, restaurants and shops, to work together with the council to make more clean, safe and accessible toilets available to the public.

The scheme is already working successfully in many other areas including Richmond-upon-Thames and Sheffield.

In return for opening their facilities to residents and visitors, local businesses will be offered free publicity, a flower basket, free street cleaning and free graffiti removal. Their toilets will be checked on a regular basis to ensure that they meet the necessary standards and to support local business participating in the scheme. It is hoped that three or four local businesses will sign-up to participate in the pilot and the success of the pilot will be assessed after three months to see whether the scheme should be rolled out across the city.