House Keeping: Miles Bugler at the Roman Townhouse in Dorchester

COUNCIL environment chief Miles Butler has pledged to stop the rot in Dorchester's prized Roman townhouse.

He acted after the Dorset Echo told of campaigners' fury at Dorset County Council, which they accused of letting the ancient site fall into disrepair.

Blue badge guide Alistair Chisholm said there were problems with mildew and a lack of signposting - just five years after the council spent £380,000 on preserving the ruins, the only Roman townhouse in the country.

Now council environmental services director Mr Butler has hit back at the comments, reasserting the council's commitment to the site's upkeep and pledging new work for the future.

He said: "We would refute the allegation that we've not looked after it, because it is an important piece of the archaeology of the town that Dorset County Council has invested in heavily.

"It is difficult striking a balance between the conservation of the site and opening it up for the public. It is essentially a conservation project, not a tourism project."

He outlined a 'second phase', which would give better public access, allowing people to learn more about the site's history, as well as new drainage work lined up for later this year to prevent damp.

Mr Butler said: "With any work on an ancient monument you have to work very carefully and we are taking advice from English Heritage.

"While realising that people are calling for action, we have to be sensitive."

He said the council was seeking funding sources to cover the cost of giving the site a higher profile and added:

"At the moment it is a relatively low-cost site for the county council and that kind of development would mean significant revenue costs.

"We could employ people to look after it or we could use local volunteers interested in the upkeep of the site.

"This is part of the Roman heritage of Dorchester and we want to make sure it takes its place as one of the gems that we have got here.

"We value this very highly and we want it to be there for years to come."

Mr Chisholm was 'pleased' that the council was moving on the issue but said: "I would like to know that every effort is being made to seek funding so we can present what we've got in the best possible light.

"Let's see the words turned into action - otherwise it makes a mockery of the money they've spent already.

"I respect the fact that maintaining something 1,800 years old is an ongoing problem, but it is important that the mosaics are properly displayed. It's sad that it wasn't moved on earlier but if it is being attended to, that's good news."