Will wardens get royal backing?

Supporters of the two Mendip wardens threatened with redundancy and early retirement are asking for the support of royalty and politicians.

The support organisation, Save our Warden Service, has contacted Prince Charles, a long time supporter of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as well as all local councillors and MPs to gather more backing for their campaign to keep the paid wardens in their jobs.

Several volunteer wardens have threatened to resign if the AONB partnership goes ahead with its plans to make wardens Les Davies and Tina Bath redundant.

A private meeting of the AONB partnership will be held today (Thursday) as a storm of protest continues to build users of the hills.

Representatives of the partnership which looks after the AONB – Natural England, Somerset County Council, Sedgemoor, Mendip, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset councils – will meet AONB managers and members of the resources steering group to discuss a cost-cutting review which would mean the two posts held by Les Davies and Tina Bath vanish and would leave no paid front-line staff to look after the hills.

The reasons for the decision will be explained to the elected members of the committee at the meeting.

The partnership will then issue a statement on Thursday following the meeting.

Somerset County Council, the warden's employer, and the AONB say that as the process of reviewing the service is continuing and has not been put to the elected members they cannot comment any further.

More than half the AONB's annual funding comes from Natural England, with the rest coming from the five local councils.

Details of the AONB budget for this year, which have been passed to this newspaper, show that of the £248,000 a year it costs to run the AONB more than £170,000 is spent on wages.

Around £15,000 is spent on running the AONB offices of which the service spends £2,500 a year on stationery, but just £1,000 on tools and equipment.

Administrating the partnership costs £23,100 and in 2008 £4,000 was spent on the management review that will see the two wardens lose their jobs.

Mid Somerset News and Media is supporting the campaign to keep wardens on the Mendips. You can register your support by visiting our website and adding your comments at www.thisissomerset.co.uk.