WARDENS at a housing association’s sheltered housing schemes are to be scrapped later in the year.

Monmouthshire Housing Association is to replace its wardens with a new model of support which it says will better suit its 420 sheltered housing tenants.

But one woman living in a Chepstow criticised the proposed new charges for the service – which could be as much as £800 a year for five weekly visits.

Currently MHA’s 11 complexes are staffed by a warden, also known as a “scheme co-ordinator”.

David Morris, director of housing and communities, said many people were not using a service they had paid for.

“Many tenants were not taking up a daily visit from the service co-ordinator,” he said.

He said wardens could not currrently provide services to older people living out of sheltered housing complexes.

Under the new system, which MHA aims to introduce in July, support co-ordinators will be based in just three of the sheltered housing complexes and will travel out for visits.

It is proposed tenants will pay for one of three levels of support – priced at £3.50, £11 and £16. The highest level will give tenants up to five weekly visits, while the lowest would have none.

Mr Morris said the costs are yet to be confirmed, while 70 per cent of senior citizens who receive benefits would not pay.

It comes after a consultation was held by MHA, which he said showed residents were in favour of the scheme.

Retired civil servant Joan Merrick, 78, has lived in the Reddings complex for 14 years and pays about £280 a year for a personal alarm and warden service.

She said the top level of care would cost her over £830 a year, and would likely have to opt for the £3.50 a week option.

“I know we have go to pay something but the top range is too high,” she said.

“What we are going to get for £3.50 a week is nothing.”

Chepstow councillor Armand Watts said for some sheltered housing residents the only person they will see will be the warden.

He said: “Without a warden a lot of them could become isolated and insecure.”