Don’t forget to vote for in the elections for a new Somerset County Council on Thursday May 2nd.

Liberal Democrats in Frome chose Alvin Horsfall for Frome East, Derek Tanswell for Frome West and Sam Phripp for Frome North. All candidates standing in the Mendip area are listed here – http://www.mendip.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=2083&p=0 – and see below.

The new Frome East division takes in Berkley Down ward and half of Selwood parish as well covering a big part of councillor Horsfall’s present division. He said: ‘I’m really looking forward to making new friends and working with people to get the best for Frome, as I will for the remainder of my term in Frome South.’  Frome West division will expand into Park ward as far as Marston Road, and also cover the western half of Selwood parish and Oakfield ward, in addition to most of Market ward, which Derek Tanswell already represents at Mendip. He said: ‘Maggy Daniell will be a hard act to follow at County, but I would always do my best for residents, just as I do now.’

All three County divisions acquire some rural hinterland, but Frome North by far the most. The town component is Innox area and College ward. The remainder covers all the rural wards north to the B&NES boundary, but as always, Sam Phripp relishes the challenge campaigning in such a large area will present.

Sam is Mendip District Council’s youngest ever councillor, and recently explained how he is embracing social media to try and get local people interested in how the area is run – http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/first-opinion/-/journal_content/56/10171/3926088/NEWS-TEMPLATE . Sam’s latest leaflet for Frome North highlights the problem of local flytipping, and recycling centre opening hours, and Sam’s plans to tackle these, as well as plans to put more PCSOs on the beat and to ask residents in the Stonebridge area about their local traffic issues and how things should be improved.

Somerset Liberal Democrats are campaigning for a county council with common sense – see http://somersetlibdems.org.uk/

If you need to raise any issue that needs addressing, get your point of view across, or help our campaign by delivering leaflets or displaying a poster or poster board, please get in touch with me on cllr.boyden@mendip.gov.uk, 07825 802643.

Other candidates for Frome wards include the Conservatives (Peter John – Frome North, the current county councillor; James Godman – Frome East, and Mike Ridout – Frome West), Labour (David Oakensen – Frome East, Catherine Richardson – Frome North, and Teresa Clark – Frome West), as well as UKIP (Baz Whale – Frome East, Martin Howard – Frome North, and Martyn Rollinson – Frome West).  There are no Greens or independent (or IFF) candidates.

The last Somerset county council elections in 2009 resulted in two wins for Lib Dems (Maggy Daniell, Frome Selwood; and Alvin Horsfall, Frome South) and two for the Conservatives (Peter John, Frome North, and Matthew Ellis, Mendip North East, most of which is now part of the Frome North division).  Although the boundaries have now changed, from the results below, all were contests between Lib Dems and Conservatives. Frome North was by far the closest, with Peter John winning by only 251 votes (9%).

The Conservative Party won control of Somerset County Council in 2009 with 35 of the 58 seats (with 47% of the vote) to the Lib Dems 21 seats (37% of votes) and Labour’s 2 seats (5% of votes). UKIP (3.3% of votes), the Green Party (2.5%) and independents (4.7%) did not win any county seats in 2009.  On May 2nd we all have a chance to see a different result this time.