This is another of my frequent updates to local residents, which I email out about once a month. To sign up please email me at aomboyden@yahoo.co.uk! I would like to continue being your local councillor, if you’ll have me. Hopefully you know I will always try and get back to you asap and try and sort things out. Please see here for more on my record of action and why I am standing again here. A profile of me and Alex Shingler, who has been Deputy Mayor of Frome for Young People for 2 years, is here.

Showfield deal progressing well:

The old Showfield is the most important open space in this part of Frome. Over the last few years I have been working to resolve issues at Mendip District Council, who lease the area, and Frome Town Council, to improve management and security, and progress the much-needed improvements (including to footpaths and a fence around the playground) which local people were asked about over 2 years ago. To resolve a legal impasse which stopped everything, a deal is progressing to protect and improve the old Showfield through Frome Town Council ownership and management. One of the main reasons for me standing again for council is to see all this through properly. I explain it all here: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/22/conserving-and-improving-the-old-showfield/#page-content

Leisure Centre update:

On Mendip District Council I have been involved in the Steering Group which has overseen work to save and secure the future of Frome Leisure Centre after Avalon’s contract runs out in May. I argued that Frome needed to be guaranteed a new or improved Leisure Centre in future, not have it sold off or closed. In December, Fusion Lifestyle (a charity) signed the legal agreements to confirm they will take on 50-year leases of the Council’s leisure centre facilities from June.  Fusion have pledged to invest £2 million pounds into improvements to Frome Leisure Centre over the next 3 years, with none of the site sold off, and the deal will save Mendip DC considerable sums of money.  Fusion are continuing to work out future arrangements with staff and with Frome Community College (who have use of the leisure centre during the school day), and will talk to Frome Town Council, users of the leisure centre and local residents soon after, about how that £2million should be spent to improve facilities in the long term. I am encouraging all parties to reach a satisfactory deal for college pupils and other leisure centre users. I am also pushing for Fusion to work with relevant organisations in Frome to improve Frome’s sports facilities in a wider sense, now they are on board, as Frome has had no ‘sports development’ service from Mendip for years. Please see here for more on all this: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/14/saving-and-improving-leisure-facilities/

Planning and development update

Bath Road Heights: NEWS 27th APRIL: The Planning Inspector has refused permission for the submitted planning application 2014/0981/FUL, on three grounds – protection of trees, the housing mix, and a lack of affordable housing. The applicants Latona had asked the Inspector to put aside application 2014/0981/FUL and instead consider amended plans (as an outline application with illustrative detail) which at least protected the TPO trees better, but the Inspector refused to do that. I argued that residents wanted the houses built as soon as possible (as the site is currently an eyesore), but that the large trees should be protected that we need a pedestrian crossing for Bath Road residents and College pupils to cross safely. I now hope that Latona can be persuaded to come back to Mendip with a fully revised planning application that fully protects the large TPO trees, has a housing mix more acceptable to Mendip planners, and a firm offer of affordable housing, on or off site, as that would surely be granted permission soon. For more details please see here.

Fromefield Co-op: A couple of weeks ago, work started to build the Co-op convenience store at the old Fromefield Surgery site. I have met with the site manager and asked for disruption to be kept to a minimum, and will keep residents informed.

Stonebridge shops and flats: The Stonebridge shops expansion and flats development received planning permission in January. Further details are now being submitted to Mendip for approval. I successfully argued for revisions to the plans, to avoid a loss of car parking spaces, include more tree planting, and improve the design. The development could start in May or June. As Tesco (and half the car park) is proposed to close during construction I am asking the developer to consider how to help local residents shop there or nearby for daily essentials.

Packsaddle Way: In January, development proposals for 107 new homes in fields at the end of Packsaddle Way were withdrawn. The plans had over 130 objections from local residents and organisations. I also objected strongly and asked the developers to withdraw their plans, which they did soon afterwards. Frome will need more houses to meet our needs, but this is not a suitable site, and for now, the threat has gone away.

Local Plan: Work on drawing up Mendip’s Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations (and Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocations) can soon restart, after the election, following the withdrawl of the High Court challenge to Part 1 by Gladman Developments. This will determine where new housing and other developments can be built in and around Frome, and which open spaces can be protected. Frome’s Neighbourhood Plan, which will give Frome Town Council more of a say in planning decisions for the town, will also be examined in public soon.

If re-elected I would represent this area in all these decisions and keep you fully informed and involved. Please see here for a full update: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/22/improving-planning-and-development/

Saying No to fracking in Mendip

Last year I and other Lib Dem councillors at Mendip were delighted to help successfully propose and negotiate a strongly worded cross-party motion through Mendip District Council, which raised concerns about the harmful environmental impacts of ‘fracking’ for shale gas in the area and on Bath’s hot springs. We have been monitoring the situation ever since. We have also just found out that the Government has agreed to withdraw the last remaining exploration licence in the Mendip area! Please see http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/22/saying-no-to-fracking-in-mendip/

Working for a cleaner greener Frome

The Stonebridge litter pick in March was a great success – please see http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/03/25/1451/

This, and my meeting with Mendip officer and street cleaning contractors (giving them a tour of the area) has highlighted litter hotspots that need more attention: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/02/10/keep-stonebridge-and-the-rest-of-frome-tidy

I recently acted to get offensive and prominent graffiti cleaed off a wall at Fromefield quickly (the next day). I also recently helped local residents get stronger enforcement action from Mendip District Council on the unauthorised travellers camp off Leys Lane, and they left soon afterwards, leaving a field of flytipping behind. Please see http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/22/working-for-a-cleaner-greener-frome/

Flytipping at Gypsy Lane and other lanes around Frome has continued and got worse recently. This is despite promises by Mendip’s Conservatives at the public meeting I organised last year, when over 40 residents demanded action, including CCTV surveillance. The Gypsy Lane area alone has cost council taxpayers £42000 in the last year, a big increase. Mendip’s approach is not working, as the Enforcement team has been underfunded. We need a stronger joined up approach and an organised campaign so that local people do not give their waste to organised criminals on the doorstep, as they will simply dump it in lanes and fields around town. Please do report any information you have or concerns on flytipping incidents to Mendip District Council on 0300 303 8588. See http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/category/flytipping/#page-content for more.

Saving and improving Packsaddle Parks

Over the last few years I have been working to protect and improve Packsaddle park and the Chapmans Close games court. As promised, I have supported the Packsaddle Community Group’s efforts to improve these community spaces, and arranged for Frome Town Council to take over both two areas to improve them with and for the whole community. 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 in July to sell one or both sites for housing, to make money. I sent Mendip the Community Group’s report, with local residents’ testimonies, to inform the decision. If re-elected in May, I will support the local community 100% and argue for the right decision at Mendip’s committee, and will pursue all available means to protect these areas for the future. Please see here for the full story:

My Council funding – where did the money go?

Over the last 2 years I have worked with various applicants to allocate my ward fund of £2000 from Mendip District Council’s Community Environment Fund (CEF) to a number of projects, which will benefit the local community, including Frome Community College, Fair Frome, Positive Action on Cancer, Packsaddle Community Group and Frome Children’s Festival. Please see here for more details and about the future of community grant schemes at Mendip District Council: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/02/09/my-council-funding-where-did-the-money-go/

Get Free Home Insulation

Homeowners and privately-renting tenants across Mendip district are being given the opportunity to have cavity wall insulation installed in their home, free of charge – making their home much warmer and cutting their fuel bills. Loft insulation can also be installed at no extra cost if the cavity is being insulated. For further information and to arrange a survey, simply call the Home Energy Team on: 0800 082 2234 or email home.energy@cse.org.uk. See also http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/3926/The-waiting-is-over-for-a-free-insulation-offer

Frome Town Council news

Please see here http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/news/ for news of: saving Whatcombe Fields, the new Share Shop in town (and how you can help), renewable energy in Frome, Frome’s electric car club, and here http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/news/page/2/ for what FTC councillors decided to do about the Saxonvale site recently, and how we are getting closer to having a new Town Hall for community use.

Mendip District Council news:

Please see news of: the shared legal service arrangements, Police join Mendip’s public services Hub in Shepton Mallet, Mendip’s new Housing Company, guidance for planning and building household extensions, and celebrating building excellence, at http://www.mendip.gov.uk/news

 

Please also see my website, which I keep updated – http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/.

If there is anything I need to know about or be doing, please let me know.

 

Adam Boyden

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

07809 284817

http://adamboyden. mycouncillor.org.uk

   1 Comment