Lib Dems welcome Frome Market improvement plan – 1

by adamboyden on 4 April, 2012

On Monday 2nd April 2012, Mendip District Council’s Cabinet endorsed a revised plan to improve Frome’s twice-weekly market, which Lib Dems in Frome and Mendip welcome as we have worked on the proposals with Mendip’s Conservative-run and Frome’s independent-run councils.

 See here for Cabinet agenda reports: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/CommitteeMeeting.asp?id=SX9452-A78369E7&cat=1

My statement to the Cabinet meeting is below:

Statement to Mendip District Council’s Cabinet (2nd April 2012) on Agenda Item 09: Frome Market:

We think this is a really good proposal now. 

We welcome the proposed ‘Plan B’ to expand the market in its current locations and to spread market stalls through town, which will make the market highly visible. We also welcome the ‘new Plan A’, to trial a ‘Frome super market’ special on three Sundays in the summer, as this should create a bigger ‘destination’ market in conjunction with the very successful Artisan market (which started yesterday).  And we welcome the proposals to improve the appearance of the market, to bring about much better marketing and promotion, and change highway signage to avoid confusion with Standerwick market.

This project should secure the future of Frome’s markets, make Frome town centre a more attractive place to shop and visit, and boost the local economy. It will also be good for the Council’s reputation and finances.  Making the most of our towns’ markets are key recommendations in the ‘Portas Review’ into the future of our high streets. We are all keen that this succeeds in Frome, and acts as a model for other Mendip towns.

Through our involvement in the Steering Group (myself, cllr Tanswell and previously cllr Dobinson), as ward councillors (cllrs Snook and Tanswell) and at county (cllrs Horsfall and Daniell) and in other ways, Lib Dem councillors have worked with Cllr Phil Ham, Donna Nolan and her team to help steer and influence the project, from initial concepts to the consensus we have today. 

When the initial Cabinet paper was published in January we raised concerns about the impact of closing the main road on Saturdays.  We then helped ensure the proposal was amended to keep all options open, and we worked hard to generate broad support for the ‘amended’ Cabinet paper. 

Lib Dems were instrumental on the Steering Group in putting forward alternative options, and helping draw up the ‘Plan B’ which is now a main part of the proposals. 

We successfully argued for public consultation before the trial commenced, and helped disseminate this through our contacts and social networks. This was successful in attracting some 400 people to respond, and the results helped guide the proposals.   

We asked for the Artisan market promoter, and a representative of the current market stall holders, to be added to the Steering Group, and their contributions have been vital. And lastly, our county councillors, including cllrs Horsfall and Daniell, also had a key role in negotiations with the county on the proposed road closures.

So, I must thank Cllr Phil Ham, and Donna Nolan, for involving us in this project generally, for listening to our ideas and responding to our concerns.  And I am very keen that this positive working relationship continues with Phil and Donna’s team on the markets, and with the new portfolio holder for other GAPS issues.

I would note that the Council and others will need to ensure that the operation of the expanded market on Saturday and Wednesdays, and the three ‘super market’ Sunday trials and road closures, are monitored and managed carefully to ensure their success, to minimise disruption and to ensure lessons are learned for the future.

We also hope that negotiations with Frome Town Council and others will succeed in moving the project forward quickly to ensure its success.

Overall, these proposals should now make Frome’s charter market more successful, should help improve the viability and vitality of Frome town centre, and make Frome and Mendip a better place to live.

We also want it to prove a good model for improving the charter markets in Shepton Mallet, Glastonbury and Street.  

We are therefore very pleased to have helped form a consensus on the way forward on this project.

We therefore fully back this scheme, and recommend Cllr Ham’s proposals are fully endorsed by the Cabinet. 

Cllr Adam Boyden
Frome College ward
Shadow Portfolio Holder for Governance, Assets and Public Spaces
2 April 2012

   1 Comment

One Response

  1. […] The monthly Sunday market which sees Frome town centre packed with market stalls, shoppers, music and food, is back with us again on 5th March and every fist Sunday of the month this year. Please see here for more.  Support the market by becoming a Market Maker – see here. This was set up in 2012 after we helped secure a consultation on the initial proposals (to do it on Saturdays) and the involvement of Foreground’s Gavin Eddy, which was vital (see here and here). […]

Leave a Reply

You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>