One of my priorities, when I was elected to Mendip District Council in 2011, was to make the Council work better with local residents to improve open spaces for the whole community. For years, Mendip allowed Packsaddle park to run down without replacing play equipment, so I was inspired by the ‘community building’ work of the Packsaddle Community Group based on improving the park and the Chapman’s Close basketball court for the whole community. Seating was installed, and I know local residents are keen to install new swings, a cycle path and a boules pitch in the park. I helped the Community Group deal with Mendip and re-locate the tree trunk seating (to avoid neighbour nuisance), but progress on the improvements with Mendip as owners has generally been very slow.

As promised, I applied to Frome Town Council (FTC) to take over both spaces as FTC can work much better with the whole Packsaddle community to improve these areas. Last December, FTC agreed, and then asked Mendip to transfer the land. Mendip’s decision to transfer the land will depend on 10 councillors on the Corporate Assets Management Group (CAMG) and an officer’s recommendation. Worryingly, I have been told that CAMG could decide to sell both sites to build houses on, as they might consider them unused. MDC has also recently decided to form a Housing Company to build houses on its land to raise money. So I sent MDC a report, written by the Packsaddle Community Group, to clearly show how valuable these open spaces are to the community, including testimonies from local residents.

I know residents are keen to see things like a boules pitch, cycle path and swings, and progress with Mendip in charge has been too slow. Mendip needs to say yes and give these areas to the Town Council. But other councillors on Mendip’s assets committee could decide at the next CAMG meeting (likely to be in July) to sell one or both sites for housing, to make money. If elected in May, I will support your community and argue for the right decision at CAMG, and will pursue all available means to protect these areas for the community.

I am determined to help you protect and improve these spaces. This is your community and you should have more control of it.

Please see here for previous news on this.

Update November 2015: The transfer of these spaces (along with Tower View opposite the Key Centre) should be on the agenda for MDC’s Corporate Assets Management Group on 14^th December, but this is to be confirmed. Frome Town Council has confirmed that it is working to meet MDC’s information requirements so that the transfer can be recommended by officers.

Update December 2015: We did it! Mendip’s Corporate Assets Management Group have now agreed to transfer the Packsaddle park and Chapmans Close open space to Frome Town Council on a long term lease so that the parks are protected and local residents and the Packsaddle Community Group will be able to work with the town council on improvements to these areas, which they have drawn up over the last few years. I proposed and requested this a year ago at Frome Town Council’s External Affairs Committee, and helped persuade CAMG on their decision. Please see here for the FTC press release.

Thanks go to Jane Bennett and the Packsaddle Community Group, and Chris Stringer at FTC, for their hard work, and CAMG for their decision, and also to cllr Mike Rideout for his support. I’m looking forward to helping the Town Council and Packsaddle Community Group on future plans, and will ensure the immediate neighbours are actively consulted.