As I emailed to local residents last week, I have been working on a few things, and there is much news from both Frome Town Council and Mendip District Council including:

1. Frome Health Day: Frome Medical Practice has announced Tuesday 14th January as the town’s Health Day, at the Health Centre at Enos Way from 10.00am to 5.00pm on Tuesday 14^th January. This is free to everyone, there will be the opportunity for our patients to have various tests, a consultation on how to stop smoking, and to go on a Health walk. See http://www.frometimes.co.uk/2014/01/02/health-day-for-frome-planned/.
2. Health Centre waiting times: I have also been in touch with Frome Medical Practice on the issue of the time it is taking to see a Doctor at Frome Medical Practice (and at the drop-in service at the Hospital) which has been raised by several residents recently. I have asked that they publicise the measures they are taking to monitor, manage and improve waiting times, as well as the ways that people can help.  I will circulate more info when I hear back further.
3. Flytipping on Gypsy Lane – Public Meeting to be held: I hope to be arranging a public meeting on flytipping in February with Mendip District Council and others, and I hope this will help start really tackling this problem once and for all: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/12/17/public-meeting-to-tackle-gypsy-lane-flytipping/
4. Showfield update: The proposed transfer of the old Showfield leases from Mendip District Council to Frome Town Council, which Mendip agreed to previously (in two different committees) has run into a problem, which I am working to resolve, see here for further details: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/12/17/showfield-update-a-new-problem/
5. Fracking: Mendip’s Fracking Working Group met recently for the first time: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/11/22/focus-fracking-success/
   The Government have also issued an Environmental Report on their proposals for further onshore licensing of oil and gas (including use of ‘fracking’) over much of the country (through licensing, although planning permission would still be required from the County Council), and I will be asking both Mendip District Council and Frome Town Council to prepare a suitable response. See https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/environmental-report-for-further-onshore-oil-and-gas-licensing for DECC’s Environmental Report. See the article from the Guardian on this here: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/dec/17/fracking-huge-impact-uk-shale-gas-industry-revealed
6. Pigeon-proofing of Rodden Road railway bridge to happen at last:
   Network Rail have finally arranged to do the work in early March: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/11/08/rodden-road-bridge-pigeons
7. Leisure Centres: Mendip are considering a potential property deal as a way of running and improving leisure centres in Frome and elsewhere in the district from 2015, which would mean leisure centres are run on a more commercial basis, but that funds may be available from the private sector to invest in improvements to facilities: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/11/22/focus-frome-leisure-centre/
8. Mendip’s Local Plan has been submitted to independent Examination:  Mendip’s draft Local Plan outlines how future housing and employment needs will be catered for across Mendip up to 2029, as well as providing services, infrastructure and facilities such as schools, roads and green spaces. A government Inspector will now scrutinise the plan (and Proposed Changes) as well as all the formal comments made the public on it. Public hearings will start at the end of March – see http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/3289/Mendip-Local-Plan-submitted-for-independent-examination
9. Also, the Proposed Changes to Mendip’s Local Plan may mean more housing for Frome in future, and propose less planning control on the size of supermarket at Saxonvale:  http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/12/05/mendip-local-plan-update/
10. Frome’s Neighbourhood Plan: first round of consultation is now closed. I submitted a response and will put it on my website soon. See here for the current draft Neighbourhood Plan document which could shape Frome in future: http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk/neighbourhood-plan/
11. Parking: Mendip’s car park charges to go up in Frome later this year: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/3224/Small-increase-in-charges-proposed-for-Mendip-car-parks. In my response to the official consultation, I asked the Council to consider innovative ways the council’s car parks can be managed better to encourage people to shop and visit the town centre, including ‘pay on exit’, ‘pay by mobile’, which could result in a much more relaxed shopping experience in Frome, shopper discount schemes. Otherwise I stated that I believe the proposed increases are not a good thing for our town centres, as the free supermarket car parks will be even more competitive.
12. Asda’s extension was approved by Mendip’s Planning Board in December and a £250,000 mitigation fund (earmarked for town centre remodelling) and £10,000 fund for improved town centre signage, have been agreed as mitigation for the impact on trade in the town centre: http://www.fromestandard.co.uk/Asda-expansion-plans-given-ahead/story-20314073-detail/story.html and here for the Planning Board report: item 8 report, 1st case: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/2728/Wednesday-11-December-2013
13. Free advice for new businesses (or people thinking about starting one) in Frome: http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk/news/view/free-advice-for-new-businesses.
14. Enterprise Mendip campaign to support new businesses: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/3268/Enterprise-Mendip-campaign-to-support-new-businesses
15. Apprenticeships in Frome: Frome Town Council are launching a survey to find out what businesses in Frome think of apprenticeships – do the survey and win a meal out! See http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk/news/view/apprenticeships-in-frome-invitation-to-take-part-i
16. Wind and solar farm developments in Mendip: A public event will be held in Wells next week (Tuesday 14^th January in Wells) as part of Mendip District Council’s investigation into the impact of wind turbines and larger scale solar farms on the local area: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/3286/Public-event-to-be-held-as-part-of-renewable-energy-investigation
17. Bedroom Tax in Mendip: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/12/06/bedroom-tax-in-mendip/
18. Local Open Spaces: feedback from residents: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/12/17/local-open-spaces-and-playgrounds-feedback-from-residents/
19. Packsaddle park: I will now ask Frome Town Council to consider applying again to take over this area and other playgrounds in Frome, and have asked Mendip again to arrange the tree trunk seating to be re-located to avoid neighbour nuisance:  http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/11/22/focus-packsaddle-parklife/
20. Stonebridge Traffic Action on the humps: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/11/22/focus-stonebridge-traffic-action/
21. No such thing as the Dog Poo Fairy: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/12/17/the-dog-poo-fairy/
22. Pavement improvements promised in Stonebridge:  http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/12/13/pavement-improvements-in-stonebridge/
23. Oldford Hill-Bath Road speed limit reduction cancelled: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/12/17/speed-limit-reduction-on-oldford-hill-cancelled/
24. A new pedestrian crossing on Bath Road: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/10/09/more-houses-proposed-at-mendip-lodge-hotel-site/
25. Fromefield Co-op: still no news on the planning application: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2013/07/31/co-operative-store-planned-for-former-doctors-surgery-site-at-fromefield/
26. Byelection success: News of my election to Frome Town Council at the byelection on 18^th December can be found here: http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk/news/view/adam-boyden-elected-to-college-ward

I have a long ‘to do’ list after talking to many people in the byelection campaign and I am getting through every issue you raised as soon as possible (so please bear with me)

Best wishes,

Adam Boyden

Frome Town and Mendip District Councillor, Frome College ward (Liberal Democrat)

07809 284817