Coventry library staff are being asked their views on the proposal to put toilets in the information centre, but they won’t have a veto on the matter.

Members of Coventry City Council’s ruling cabinet were told by colleagues to rethink the plan to move the information upstairs and build the city centre’s much-needed toilets in their place.

Even Labour councillors joined in the chorus of criticism, and the cabinet was told to carry out more consultation with staff and the public.

At yesterday’s council meeting the cabinet member in charge of the scheme, Cllr Dave Batten, said consultation was being carried out with staff and their views would be received on 18 October.

But he said this was to do with the plans for the library, and the detail over the designs as drawn up by the project architect.

Cllr Dave Nellist (Socialist, St Michael’s) likened the method of consultation to a cartoon in a German trade union magazine in the 1970s, where workers were given the choice between using a red or a green spanner.

He said:

“It is my feeling that people do not want the toilets in the library building. They don’t want the information service moved. The staff that work there don’t want these things there.”

But Cllr George Duggins, cabinet member in charge of the library service, said:

“Consultation doesn’t mean veto of a particular proposal. The people of this city want toilets in the city centre. This was the best site that was available. We’ve got to get on and make that work.”

The cabinet decided that it had already met the requirements of the Scrutiny Committee's demand for extra consultation, and sent it the issue back for re-approval next Thursday.

If the Scrutiny Committee is still unhappy with the decision it will be finally settled at the full council meeting that evening.

Protestor Ian Harris, who has campaigned against the information centre being moved said:

"The consultation is a facade of democracy. All they do is show you the knife before plunging it in your back."