The post is a part of a joint project with English Nature

The part-time position is being advertised by Bath and North East Somerset (Banes) council with a pro rata salary of up to �21,500.

The Conservative group said it was an "outrageous waste of public money".

The Liberal Democrats say the post is part of a project with English Nature and South Gloucestershire council and should cost Banes only �3,000 a year.

Some local residents interviewed by BBC Radio said the move was insensitive in the light of the row over the Bath Spa project, which is three years overdue and three times over its multi-million pound budget.

Tory councillor Chris Watt thinks the money would be better spent on schools.

'Celebrate dormouse heritage'

He said: "This isn't about preserving the dormouse or protecting it. All of the job description is about celebrating the heritage of the dormouse.

DORMICE FACTS Common dormice may spend up to three quarters of their life asleep They feed on seeds, flowers, fruits and insects A loss of suitable habitat in Britain has led to a steep decline in their numbers The species is protected by law, but is at the lower end of the conservation "at risk" scale

"If it was about laying five miles of hedgerow for them to live in, you could start to justify it. But this is a waste of money."

But Gerry Curran, Liberal Democrat member for sustainability and the environment, said: "It is a tiny drop in the ocean compared to the amount of money the council spends on other services.

"Dormice are a native British species and have a great history. It's about the environment they live in, it's about their heritage, but it's also about educating people about the environment and habitats."