PARISH councillors in the moorland villages of Danby, Commondale and Westerdale have agreed to take over the running of two public toilets which were threatened with closure by Scarborough Borough Council.
But the Danby group council members said they were taking them over under protest because they believed they were being treated unfairly over the issue.
The borough authority gave the parish council the chance to take over the toilets at Commondale and Westerdale because of the £4,000-a-year running cost.
Scarborough council has agreed to pay the parish council £2,000 a year for the next ten years - half the sum needed.
Councillor Herbert Tindall, a member of Scarborough and North Yorkshire county councils, said: "It is a sad day when parish councils have to take over the duties of the borough council. They are responsible for health and safety. I feel very bitter about it."
The parish council has, however, refused to take over two other toilet blocks in its area at Danby and Castleton.
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