More than £50,000 has been spent to save a public toilet block in a Kent village following a protracted dispute which led to multiple parish council resignations.

The controversy began in April 2024 when the Meopham village toilets closed.

Locals, outraged over plans for their demolition, protested outside the loos in January 2025, saying the facilities were “vital”.

Meopham Parish Council, however, argued the toilets were “unfit for purpose” and needed refurbishment.

Officials cited a footfall survey which recorded only 52 visits between October 2022 and March 2023, and said those needing the facilities could use the nearby toilets at Costa Coffee and Minel Meze & Grill.

A non-legally binding ballot, demanded by the villagers and held in June 2024, showed that 94 per cent of respondents (569 out of 605) supported the toilets’ reopening.

The controversy ultimately led to the resignation of five councillors, including chair Cheryl Price and deputy chair Graham Green.

Two by-elections were held, which cost the parish £15,000. A total of 587 votes were cast – working out at around £25.55 a vote.

In July 2025, the new-look council voted to reopen the toilets and has since spent more than £25,000 on it.

The spending paid for replacement toilets, urinals and three-in-one handwashing machines, as well as giving the walls a lick of paint.

Electrics were also redone, new pathways laid out, and CCTV installed.

The block, which will cost around £20,000 to maintain, was reopened on 1 July.

Johnathan McNamara, who became chair of the parish council in May, oversaw the last part of the project.

The former project manager, 60, says the block revamp is an example of the authority listening to villagers better.

He said: “I think residents felt unheard when this was just closed. There wasn't really any notice about it.

“It was done for, I think, a viable reason. The costs were just thrown at us by Gravesham Borough Council, and it is a significant part of our budget to keep these toilets maintained and to regenerate them.

“The council was afraid of that cost. But we prepared some spare budget to do it, and we were lucky to get a local project manager involved to go ahead with it.

“This area is always busy at the weekend, and I felt that we have to have a public toilet here.”

James Ferrin was one of the locals who protested the closure of the loos in January 2025.

The 49-year-old, who works in advertising and lived in Meopham for 15 years, says it is “brilliant” that the council has “listened to people” and reopened them.

He said: “It's been here for a very, very long time and people around here know it, and there was actually nothing wrong with the building.

“If you look at the structure of it, nothing's changed. It's just the internals have been revamped and had to be brought up to modern standards.

“The works only had to happen because they were closed, whereas if they hadn't been closed, nothing would have needed to happen.

“The toilets are part of Meopham, like the Windmill and the Green.”

Ruth Blake, who has lived in the village for 32 years, says she wanted the lavatories reopened as they are an “asset to the community”.

The grandmother of one, 70, said: “I was mortified when I heard the toilets would be shut.

“So I was really pleased to join the Let's Save Our Toilet Block group with everybody else.

“We have lots of young people doing their Duke of Edinburgh and bus drivers and delivery men come here. So it's something that we need to keep in our village.”

Chris Rose, a retired teacher who has lived in Meopham for 40 years, added: “They were closed without the residents knowing about it.

“Since then we've worked tirelessly to get them reopened for the local community.

“So I am happy to see them reopened.”