Join our fight to save the wardens
A fight to keep trained and dedicated beauty spot wardens has come out of the Cheddar Valley.
Explosives engineer Nigel Taylor, who lives between Draycott and Cheddar, was furious when he heard that the two Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) wardens could be forced out of their jobs.
Mr Taylor, who also serves as a Cheddar Parish councillor, was appalled to hear a shake-up of the Mendip Hills AONB Service – funded by Natural England, Somerset County Council, and others – could leave the service with a number of officers but no hands-on staff to install gates and stiles, mend fences, do dry stonewalling or negotiate with landowners.
The warden posts have been such a success, senior warden Les Davies was recognised with an MBE for his contribution to the environment and deputy Tina Bath was named best lady hedgelayer in this year's national championships.
However, a service review could see the former take early retirement and leave the latter redundant.
"Recently the AONB sought approval for a 10-year plan and at no point did it propose axing these wardens," said Mr Taylor. "I think it's disingenuous.
"The AONB employs something like seven posts with names such as development officer and people and place officer, but the wardens do the work on the ground.
"They have actively cut back on facilities for the wardens. They used to have a vehicle each to carry chainsaws and tools. Then they had one between them.
"My family has had a small holding on the Mendips, I have walked over them and caved under them and been very grateful to Les and Tina."
The engineer believes volunteers would be relied on to maintain the hills and that several had spoken to him about giving up their duties over the treatment of the two wardens.
Requests for petitions to Save Our Wardens Service (SOWS) have flooded in and been set up in the Hunter's Lodge and New Inn in Priddy and camping shop Gorge Outdoors in Cheddar Gorge. A website titled www.sows-on-mendip.com has been set up.
The Cheddar Valley Gazette is also backing the campaign.
Register your objection in the comment boxes below - but leave your name and address so they can be added to the petition.
107 Comments
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by Gareth Locke, Bristol, Somerset
Friday, February 27 2009, 3:15PM
“This is a sad state of the times, councils trying to cut corners at the loss of one of the few things that give us all free pleasure in life. Lets hope they come to there senses and our voices are heard.”
by Keith, Wells
Monday, February 23 2009, 3:37PM
“save these wardens!”
by michael norton, berkshire
Thursday, January 29 2009, 5:16PM
“I have been enjoying the Mendips for forty years.
Les & Tina have been doing excelant hands on work.
What on earth do we need a AONB Manager for
if there are no actual wardens?”
by Dr John Knight, Clutton
Tuesday, January 27 2009, 4:56PM
“Tina and Les provide an important service. The economic 'gain' will be short-lived and quickly replaced by an inevitable negative social and environmental decline.”
by Andrew Parker, Wells
Monday, January 26 2009, 4:16PM
“As a member of the dormouse monitoring team at Cheddar, I have known the value of the support of the AONB wardens at Charterhouse. Without their help, the project would not have got off the ground, and there is still so much work to do.
Their support is vital.”
by Nick Carey-Harris, Winscombe
Monday, January 26 2009, 10:55AM
“Why is it when times get difficult the most useful people have to face redundancy ? The Warden scheme for the Mendips is a clear and praiseworthy example of taxpayers money being well spent.
I would suggest that the people who insist on expensive electronic signs telling us all to slow our cars down as there is a roundabout ahead . . right next to a 30 foot square sign showing . . a roundabout, get scrutinised. Are those people really worth the money with that sort of decision making capability? I would suggest that we could "do better".
There is so much "dead wood" in the local authorities. I for one would happily carry out a survey of what exactly these people do to identify where positive savings could be made, allowing the Warden scheme to continue with the positive work they have been doing so far.”
by Tim Clarke, 2 Farne Close, Bristol, BS9 4HU
Saturday, January 24 2009, 4:36PM
“Having met Tina whilst on a hedge-laying course she was running earlier this week I was impressed by her knowledge, experience, practical skills and general enthusiasm about her job. From discussions with her during the 2 day course it was obvious that she is highly motivated to achieve what is best for the AONB, and being a local person from within the area it was also clear that she has a good rapport with the local landowners. These are all attributes which make her ideally suited to her work and so I was amazed to hear that she and her colleague¿s posts are being axed as a result of what appears to me to be a misguided, unnecessary and ill-thought out restructuring of the warden service.
Whilst I live in Bristol I visit the Mendips very regularly and also volunteer for different projects in the AONB so have been able to see the first-class work of the Wardens.
Surely the funding authorities and management can rethink and ensure that the Mendip Hills AONB retains one of its most valuable assets - its excellent Warden Service.”
by Joshua Calder-Travis, Wells
Monday, January 19 2009, 6:30PM
“When I spent time as a volunteer as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award, I saw first hand the fantastic work of the Mendip Wardens.
The council may want to save money but the cost of not having wardens on the mendips far outweighs any money that could possibly be saved.”
by M A Chipperfield QGM, Wells
Monday, January 19 2009, 3:37PM
“As one of many who have written to various persons and bodies regarding what is happening to the Mendip AONB Wardens I have found the replies and recent statement from Somerset County Council disingenuous.
The statement and replies say
"As part of the restructuring a proposed new "Project Warden" role will be created following the news that the Senior Warden's request for early retirement was accepted."
They go on to say that the Assistant wardens post is to be made redundant and that "The duties this post undertook are to be delivered by the new post-which Tina is eligible to apply for- or in other ways such as partnership working".
To make things clear, the Senior Warden was left with no other viable option than to "accept" early retirement.
As for Tina Bath being able to apply for the new post, it is to be a "Graduate" post . She can apply, but all she has going for her is, years of experience, lives on the AONB and has forged strong bonds with the land owners and organisation who work and use the Mendip, has great skills and common sense coupled with enthusiasm, but not being a graduate, will not get it.
The whole thing has been handled in the most appalling way and to treat, in such a shoddy maner, the very people who made the AONB into the working community that it is today, disgusts me.I, as one of the Voluntary Rangers will be resigning, that's resigning, not "requesting retirement"
M A Chipperfield QGM
1 St Cuthbert Way, Wells Ait is”
by S W LINDSAY, Bristol and Mendip
Thursday, January 15 2009, 1:45PM
“When such apparently ludicrus proposals are implemented one has to explore the avenues as to why they should be, and is there an underlying alternative hidden agenda???
When 2 persons are doing a job, with such vim, vigour and helpfulness with physical and spoken expertise, for the benefit of ALL, YOU have to say probably it is yes SO.
Is it because they are no good at their job and not wanted? absolutely not. SO
Is it because the cost of their employment? a VERY blinkered uneducated and kneejerk assessment would suggest this, BUT how much time and cost would need to be set against, this if walls gates etc had to be sub contracted out for repair!
Is there a pang of jealousy regarding the excellent awards and achievments of Les and Tin, and the work they have carried out? Well it is not unknown that people can adversely re act to others people popularity, especially if they are "subordinates" the old jewel, " I/we are in charge we should get the glory" SO
Is it, all independant areas are making the same cuts, because of the credit crunch! NO. SO
Is it a hidden agenda? Now bearing in mind Les and Tina are the eyes and ears of Mendip, could the removal of the eyes and ears pave the way for "unwanted or unpopular" Mendip events.SO
THE LIST COULD GO ON.
The public see something, they wish to report it, or would like information or need specific advise? Post warden the scenario would be.
Find a phone number, ring it and get...all phone calls may be recorded for ....etc ETC. For information regarding press 1 ....etc for information on regarding press 9. Then this office is only open MON to fRIDAY from 0930 till 1630hrs, Please call back later. You then either give up, phone in the allotted hours and get passed from pillar to post, then give up...modern day digitalization, and we dont care anyway!
APOLOGIES FOR THE LENGTH.”