Mendip District Council’s Cabinet came to Frome’s Cheese & Grain last Wednesday to answer 20 questions from people in Frome.

 

Some 45 people (including about 35 members of the public, and district and town councillors) asked questions on flytipping, unconventional gas exploration (including ‘fracking’), renewable energy, council tax, local consultation and engagement with local people, regenerating the town, protecting jobs, the future of Saxonvale, Mendip’s land assets in Frome, provision of sports pitches in Frome, tree planting in the Cattle Market car park, the performance of the Planning Service, what is Mendip investing in Frome, the ‘New Homes Bonus’, whether there should be a unitary authority instead of Mendip and Somerset councils, and the role and responsibilities of Mendip DC (“…what does Mendip do?”). Turnout was great compared to the previous Meet the Cabinet events in Shepton Mallet and Glastonbury which only saw 2 and 3  members of the public respectively turn up.
 
As I thought it would be important that people who could not attend the meeting were able to hear the questions and answers, I arranged for the whole event to be recorded by Frome FM, who agreed to record it for free!  The Cabinet gave permission for this, but did not authorise any budget, so although I had also found someone to film it for the web, Cabinet would not agree to pay their fee. But thanks to Frome FM working with the Cheese & Grain’s technicians, for free, everyone in Frome (or anywhere) will now be able to listen to the event – go to http://frome.fm/programmes/talk-features/mendip-meet-the-cabinet/ or listen to Frome FM for the two 1-hour programmes next weekend.

 

Please also see my previous article about the event: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/05/10/get-your-questions-ready-for-mendip-district-council/