You may have heard that cllr Sam Phripp has sadly resigned as the Somerset County Councillor for the Frome North area. Please see here for Sam’s statements on that. I wish Sam well.

So we now need a new county councillor for Frome North, and the byelection has been arranged on Thursday 25th September.

Frome North division covers the northern part of Frome (in Frome College district and town council ward i.e. Stonebridge, Fromefield, Bath Road, Mendip Drive/Grange Road and Packsaddle estates; and also the Innox Hill/Welshmill area north of the railway line) together with the parishes of Norton St Philip (including Farleigh Hungerford), Beckington (including Rudge and Standerwick), Rode, Berkley (including Oldford), Lullington (including Laverton and Orchardleigh), and Tellisford (including Woolverton). This is a beautiful area and every resident needs a county councillor who can serve them well.

Damon Hooton has been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Frome North. Damon is very well known in Frome already for standing up for residents, as Damon has been a district councillor for Frome Park ward since 2003 and a town councillor since 2007. Damon was Mayor of Frome in 2009-10, giving Formula 1 champion Jenson Button the Freedom of the town. He is also Chair of Mendip’s Scrutiny Board which reviews decisions that the Council and Cabinet make. He currently works in Frome’s Sainsbury’s store and previously spent 23 years in the army. Please see Damon’s website or Facebook page for further details or to contact Damon.

Given the results in 2013 (Sam won with 1047 votes, 37%, see here, with Conservative Peter John 2nd with 1002 votes, 36%) and 2009 (when Conservative Peter John won by 251 votes, when the division covered a different area), it is likely to be a very close two-horse race with the Conservatives.

All the candidates have just been announced – see here.

Conservative candidate Linda Oliver is the chair of Norton St Philip Parish Council and the Mendip District Councillor for Norton St Philip and Rode. Labour’s Catherine Richardson, the Green Party’s Les Spalding, and independent Adrian Dobinson are also standing.  In 2013, Labour’s Catherine won 302 votes (11%), behind UKIP’s 455 (16%). In 2009 the Green Party’s Rebecca Yeo polled 11% with Labour on 5%, when the division covered a different area.

Damon will be a great county councillor if elected, so we have to help that happen. To help elect Damon, rather than the Conservative, we need your help. If you can offer any support, including having a poster board up, delivering leaflets, help with phone canvassing or door to door, please contact Damon – please see Damon’s website to contact Damon.

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