If the strength of feeling surrounding the threatened closure of Oxford’s public toilets was unknown before, the picture today is crystal clear.

Oxford City Council, which is not flush with cash, wants to save £50,000 by closing seven conveniences. But the public fightback has started.

Just six months away from a crunch election, the Labour-run city council might have gift-wrapped opposition groups much-needed votes.

The message from the streets is that public conveniences are, well, convenient and they must stay.

To add insult to injury, the city council wants to spend tens of thousands of pounds upgrading its Gloucester Green facilities, giving rise to the impression that outside the city centre people don’t matter.

Predictably, the Liberal Democrats are making political hay out of the situation and a petition is already up-and-running.

Lord Mayor Mary Clarkson said people would be resourceful if they needed to spend a penny and would find ways of coping.

We say that with many people making their voices heard, it can’t be said the city council had nothing to go on.