KILWINNING schools are set to benefit from brand new toilet facilities.

As part of an ongoing review into school toilet provision, North Ayrshire Council have set aside £600,000 to improve the facilities at nine different schools.

They include Corsehill, St Winning’s and Springside Primaries along with Kilwinning Academy. St Winning’s refurbishment is set to be completed by the end of April.

The Herald told last year how a report to the council’s cabinet showed that toilet provision in North Ayrshire schools required urgent improvement with pupils complaining about a lack of cleanliness and accessibility.

Cabinet members even visited several schools to see the problems for themselves.

But the council say that since the report was published, improvements have been made.

These include introducing a day cleaner in secondary schools at key times of the school day, using a cleaning charter across all schools and installing soap dispensers.

In addition, a generic model of unisex toilets for new primary school build projects – based on the design used at Dreghorn Primary – has been developed.

Despite concerns previously raised about unisex toilets, the officer working group and pupil reference group tasked with taking forward the actions were satisfied that the floor-to-ceiling design of the cubicles at Dreghorn managed any concerns around dignity and respect.

During 2013/14, the council spent £224,000 on toilet upgrades and before the end of the 2014/15 financial year the council will have spent an extra £279,000 on upgrading four other school toilets.