Somerset Council agrees budget

by adamboyden on 25 February, 2024

At last week’s Full Council meeting, Somerset Councillors passed a budget and set the Council Tax for the forthcoming 2024/25 financial year, avoiding a Section 114 Notice. The budget was approved by 52 votes (all Lib Dem, including me, one of your councillors for Frome North) to 9 against, with 31 abstentions). If we did […]

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February newsletter

by adamboyden on 15 February, 2024

Somerset Council budget: Somerset Council’s meeting agenda for Full Council on 20th February, at Canalside Conference Centre near Bridgwater, are now online – (see here). The main item is the budget for 2024/25 and setting the year’s Council Tax, in item 11. The Executive recently passed amendments to withdraw or change a number of savings proposals to […]

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Community chat, 17th February

by adamboyden on 15 February, 2024

My next informal councillor advice surgery is at the Cheese & Grain café in Frome on Saturday 17th February from 9am to 10.30am (no appointment necessary). Anna Sabine the new Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Frome & East Somerset (see here) will also be there to meet people. Please just come along with your […]

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Councillor Corner, Frome Times

by adamboyden on 15 February, 2024

So we might just do it. Somerset Council looks likely to be able to set a budget for the 2024-25 financial year at Full Council on 20th February, and avoid a Section 114 Notice. This would be some achievement. Months ago, massive increases in the costs of social care (for elderly and disabled adults, and […]

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Flooding advice

by adamboyden on 5 January, 2024

After very heavy rains, there are reports of flooded roads and properties in Somerset, including in the Frome area. Please do not drive through floodwater. Stay up to date with the latest travel updates using our Travel Somerset Twitter or our Roadworks and travel information page. Find out the current status of roads that have Emergency road closure gates. […]

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January news

by adamboyden on 19 December, 2023

Waste and recycling collections: We have had an update from the Somerset Council waste team on waste and recycling collections: ‘A brief update on waste collections: as ever, the festive period has been really busy, with extra-heavy loads of recycling and refuse. On top of this, we have had the added complication of changed collection […]

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What do Liberal Democrats stand for?

by adamboyden on 28 November, 2023

“The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.” This is the preamble to our Constitution. The Liberal Democrats stand firm on seven core […]

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Solar farm to the east of Rode

by adamboyden on 26 November, 2023

The planning application for a large ‘Bluebell Wood solar farm’ with battery storage and associated infrastructure, on 74 hectares of land (184 acres) to the east of Rode, has been submitted to Somerset Council by Low Carbon UK Solar Investments. I and Dawn attended online presentations by the applicants, and they have also presented to […]

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You may have seen in the news that Somerset Council has declared a Financial Emergency. As Leader of Council, I am writing to give you more information and to ask you to help us present Somerset’s case to Government by writing to your Member of Parliament. Somerset Council’s projected overspend of more than £27million in […]

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Somerset Council’s Executive has this week set out the actions it proposes to take in response to soaring costs and demands on services. The latest budget figures show Somerset Council is facing a funding gap of £100m for 2024/25 due in large part to an expected increase of £70m in the cost of adult social […]

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October news

by adamboyden on 15 October, 2023

Residents Survey: How satisfied are you with our area? What are your priorities? Please let me know by completing my Residents Survey. I want to hear from everyone, it will only take 5 minutes, and I will publish the results, keeping individual responses completely confidential. Saxonvale planning permission quashed: In quite big news, Acorn Property Group’s […]

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Saxonvale planning permission quashed

by adamboyden on 15 October, 2023

Acorn Property Group’s outline planning permission for a mixed use development (including 300 homes) at the Saxonvale site in Frome has been quashed in the High Court. The Judicial Review of the Acorn permission was brought by Damon Moore, one of the Directors of Mayday Saxonvale, in relation to the Council’s interpretation of what Mendip’s […]

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Councillors Corner, Frome Times

by adamboyden on 15 October, 2023

Article published in the Frome Times, Thursday 12th October 2023, p24: As Oscar Wilde probably didn’t say, the problem with liberal democracy is it can take too many evenings. But it is important. Last week, at the Prosper Frome meeting I was happy to offer support to the potential for a OneBanx kiosk in Frome, […]

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Residents survey

by adamboyden on 12 October, 2023

How satisfied are you with things in our area? What are your priorities? How can we improve things? Please let me know by completing my Residents Survey. Thank you, Adam Boyden, Somerset Councillor for Frome North (Lib Dem) Please take the survey here. It should only take 5 minutes of your time: Questions include: Please take […]

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Writing in The Link magazine

by adamboyden on 6 October, 2023

My article submitted to The Link, The magazine for Rode, Tellisford, Woolverton and Farleigh Hungerford, part of Hardington Vale, for October 2023, is below: There have been a few issues in Rode recently worth mentioning. Earlier this year I objected to Butcombe Brewery’s licensing application for the Mill at Rode, along with over 50 residents, […]

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Update: The delayed public local inquiry into Somerset Council’s proposal to extinguish vehicular rights along Dark Lane and a section of Berkley Lane to the north of Frome will now be held on 9 – 11 April 2024 from 10am at Somerset Council’s offices at Cannards Grave, Shepton Mallet. The proposal, previously by Mendip District […]

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Have you been disturbed by loud noise from quarry train engines idling at the freight railway line traffic lights, next to Lower Innox and Mill Close? Has this noise woken you up, or stopped you getting to sleep at night, especially if you have windows open at night? I have been contacted by some local […]

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Frome North news

by adamboyden on 15 September, 2023

Education education education: Somerset Council’s Children and Families Scrutiny Committee meeting on 13th September included a presentation on the potential for a reorganisation of schools in the Frome area into a two tier system, at item 7 Education Modelling in Frome – Next Steps – see here. This has been covered in local news here. There are potential […]

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Save Frome railway station ticket office

by adamboyden on 27 July, 2023

Train operators have proposed changes to, and closures of, the majority of rail station ticket offices in England. As part of the consultation Transport Focus wants to hear your views to understand how the changes will impact you. Great Western Railway manages the Frome station and is proposing to close the ticket office between October 2023 […]

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New MP for Somerton & Frome: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat) was elected as our new MP for Somerton & Frome in the by-election on 20th July, with 55% of the vote – see here (Somerset Council), here (BBC) and https://www.sarahdyke.uk/. Sarah’s new email is sarah.dyke.mp@parliament.uk, or you can contact her by post to House of […]

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