Lifeguards at three popular Somerset beaches could be scrapped as part of a wider programme of council cuts.

Somerset Council declared a financial emergency in early-November 2023 in the face of both a large projected overspend in the current financial year (around £18m) and a substantial budget gap for the next financial year (currently around £87m).

The council has published proposals to balance the books, which includes significant cuts to local services, selling off land and buildings, using its existing reserves and raising council tax by up to ten per cent.

One of the savings proposals would see an end to the lifeguards provided at Berrow, Brean and Burnham-on-Sea beaches during the summer by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI).

The council believes it could save £35,000 a year by not renewing the RNLI's contract and that its own beach safety wardens would keep beach-goers safe.

A spokesman said: "The lifeguard service is provided by RNLI at Burnham-on-Sea, Berrow and Brean beaches from early-July until the first week in September. The contract provides some additional cover in the main season to compliment the council-employed beach safety wardens.

"This proposal is to cease the contract with RNLI and solely use beach safety wardens.

"Beach safety wardens currently cover beach safety from March to October and therefore there will still be beach safety controls in place throughout the whole operating season."

Numerous other savings proposals will directly affect the Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge community, including:

• Ending the council's own CCTV service (saving £652,000 by April 2026)
• Closing five of the 16 household waste recycling centres (£963,000 by April 2026)
• Ending revenue funding for the Burnham-on-Sea Swim & Sports Academy on Berrow Road (£12,000)
• Increasing car parking costs at Berrow and Burnham-on-Sea beaches by 50p an hour each year (£36,000 by April 2027)

No final decisions on any of the proposed savings have been made – including the selection of which recycling centres may close.

The council's executive committee will meet in Taunton to discuss the budget proposals on Monday, January 15, at 10am.

The public consultation on the budget will close seven days later (January 22), with the responses being used to shape the final recommendations which will go before the full council.

After being reviewed by the audit committee on January 25 and the corporate and resources scrutiny committee on February 1, the executive will reconvene on February 7 – by which time a further update on the budget proposals will be available.

The final budget will be debated by the full council in Bridgwater on February 20 from 10am. Each of these meetings will be live-streamed via Microsoft Teams for those unable to attend in person.