Following previous articles (see bottom of this page), and recent discussions and decisions, I can now give a brief update on the latest situation on the plans to improve Frome’s old Showfield using funds from the Frome Medical Centre’s Section 106 Agreement.

Frome Town Council recently applied to Mendip District Council’s Corporate Assets Management Group (CAMG) to (1) transfer Mendip’s lease on the old Showfield to FTC, in order to take over management of it; and (2) take and spend the Section 106 funds on a specific scheme of improvements.

Transfer of lease

I was happy to recommend the lease is transferred, as FTC should be able to manage the site well, and hopefully can involve local people in enhancing the area, as they have done at Welshmill.

Councillors on CAMG then gave their approval for both the transfer of the lease.  Covenants in the lease mean that future use of the land is restricted to public open space for recreational purposes. The lease transfer also has to be approved by Mendip’s Cabinet at its next meeting on Monday 14th October. This would save Mendip over £14,000 in maintenance costs, and officers recommend approval.  The agenda and reports (item 9) are here:
http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/2712/Monday-14-October-2013.  The lease transfer would also need to be agreed with the landlord, the Frome & District Agricultural Society (FDAS).

If the lease is transferred to FTC, the Section 106 funds can be transferred to FTC to implement – see below.

Section 106 funding

FTC’s proposed scheme, which was prepared after the public consultation in Autumn 2012, would see the funding spent on the following:

1. resurfacing the path between the Hospital / Medical Centre and Showfield office/car park, with a smooth surface for everyone to walk on easily, suitable for mobility scooters, wheelchairs and pushchairs;

2. creating a new path in the north west corner of the Showfield to link up existing paths from Ashtree Road and Nightingale Avenue, keeping away from wet areas (surfaced as above);

3. a new mini pitch for community use, open to all, to provide ‘somewhere to kick a ball around’ (close to the existing Frome Collegians pitch, potentially maintained by Collegians football club);

4. an outdoor gym (adult fitness equipment), located along the footpath behind the hospital/health centre. FTC already have funds from a separate part of the S106 agreement for a small amount of gym equipment, and propose to add to that;

5. additional benches/seating, litter bins, and tree planting.

FTC proposed that Mendip would be responsible for funding:

6. changes to the grass cutting regime, to keep some areas cut shorter and more often;

7. installation of a fence around some or all of the children’s playground, to keep dogs away from children while they play;

8. any improvements to the playground equipment;

9. additional dog waste bins.

I was reassured that separate funding would be available from Mendip to pay for the dog fence and additional play equipment, I was happy to recommend approval to this.

Mendip councillors and officers also concluded that should FTC take over the lease, FTC would then become responsible for managing and maintaining the site including drainage, hedgerows, and grass cutting, and any changes to the grass cutting regime to provide areas of shorter grass for picnics, which was identified as a top priority in the autumn 2012 public consultation (see previous articles below).  Councillors on CAMG also gave approval for transfer for the S106 funds to FTC.

Since then I have learned:

1. How Mendip will fund the installation of a dog fence (which FTC estimate would cost £11,000) is not yet worked out. If Mendip cannot/will not fund it, it would need to be funded by the S106 agreement, in place of some of the works identified by FTC. As this is a priority for residents whose children play there, and alot of dogs are walked around the playground, I am pushing for an agreement to be reached and the fence to be funded as a priority.

2. Mendip should be able to make a budget available to provide additional playground equipment, as the old Showfield is recognised as a ‘town park play area’ in the Mendip Play Strategy, which means it is a priority for any funding for playground improvements.  I am waiting to hear how much is available and what this could provide.

3. The construction of a mini-pitch for community use would need planning permission, and it has not been agreed whether Mendip or FTC would put the planning application together (to Mendip for planning permission).  I hope this can be worked out in due course once the other issues are resolved.

Further approvals would also be needed from other decision-making bodies at Mendip, and formal landlords consent would be required from the Frome & District Agricultural Society.

As well as the above, I have also been discussing ideas for increasing awareness of dog behaviour, such as signage and awareness events. In June there was a consultation event on the idea of a Community Garden (see June article below), but as far as I am aware this initiative is not currently being progressed.

I have also asked both councils to organise a public announcement on the final draft scheme, with a chance for people to comment and ‘have your say’ on the specific proposals. I understand/hope this will happen once the above issues are resolved.

It has been a year now since Frome Town Council and Vision For Frome first consulted local residents on ideas to improve the Showfield in October 2012. I believe transfer of the lease and funding to FTC should speed up the process, hopefully.

All comments would be welcome – please email me on cllr.boyden@mendip.gov.uk or see other contact details on the home page!

See also: from April 2013: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/04/30/showfield-update-frome-town-council-to-consider-improvement-plans/

and from June 2013: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/06/03/fromes-old-showfield-community-garden-and-general-update/

 

 

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