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Somerset Councillor for Frome North (Lib Dem) Learn more
by adamboyden on 15 May, 2015
Residents update from cllr Adam Boyden for Frome College ward
15 May 2015
Result! and Thank you
Thanks to everyone who has helped me in the election in some way. My thank you letter to local residents in Frome College ward is here – http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/05/12/thank-you-2/#page-content
The results of the general and local elections for both Mendip District Council and Frome Town Council are here: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/electionresult2015. Mendip has 32 Conservatives, 11 Lib Dems, 3 Greens and 1 Independent councillor (including for Frome wards, 5 Lib Dems, 3 Conservatives and 3 Greens). Frome Town Council has 17 Independents For Frome councillors. Frome College ward is now served by:
Clearly, despite our political differences we all have a duty to get along well enough to share information and cooperate as best we can. I hope to help make that happen and to make sure Frome and Mendip councils and councillors work together better for the people of Frome.
Council diary
This week at Mendip District Council I have been to a briefing from all heads of departments (Corporate Managers), a Lib Dem Mendip councillors meeting (to decide who does what), and the ‘market place’ where all Mendip councillor got to meet the staff in each department team and other agencies including Citizens Advice Bureau, the Police and Fusion (Leisure) with stalls all laid out in the Council chamber. A lot was still familiar from the last briefings we had, but we all needed an update and it was good to talk to councillors in other parties. Next week… Mendip’s first meeting after the election is on Monday 18th May at Mendip HQ, Shepton Mallet. The agenda is here: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/3399/Monday-18-May-2015. The council will choose its Leader, Cabinet, and members of committees. I will raise the issue of the need for Mendip to engage better directly in Frome and elsewhere by starting up community meetings once again, as the Constitution still requires this.
Frome Town Council’s first meeting is on Wednesday 20th May, when council chooses the next Mayor of Frome – see http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/frome-town-council/meetings-agenda-and-minutes/upcoming-meetings/. A good summary of FTC’s current Action Plan is here http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Appendix-2-Pictorial-summary-of-Action-Plan-2015.pdf. This includes lots of things I have been working on, including: acquiring the Packsaddle and Chapmans Close open spaces from Mendip, acquiring the Old Showfield, consulting on and implementing a management plan for it and investing in new play equipment there.
Tesco to close Stonebridge store for 6 months
The development of the Stonebridge shops expansion with flats above scheme (ref. 2014/0970) received planning permission in January. I successfully argued for some improvements to the plans, to avoid a loss of car parking spaces, include more tree planting, and improve the design. The trees which were cut down in April will be replaced after the main building work is finished.
Construction will start on 16th June. I have been informed that Tesco will close on 4th June and will reopen as a larger store in January 2016. All the other shops will remain open. Half the car park is proposed to be used for construction. I asked the developer to consider how to help residents shop there for daily essentials, but they say there is no room for a pop-up shop on site. See more in this week’s Frome Standard. The nearest local shops will be in the town centre, McColls (Rodden Road) or Tuck Shop (St Johns Road), until the new Co-op opens at Fromefield (probably in September).
Bath Road Heights: A Planning Inspector recently refused permission for 8 new houses at Bath Road Heights (ref 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 have asked Latona to come back to Mendip with a revised planning application that protects the large trees and which will be acceptable to Mendip planners, as Latona now know what they will need to do to get permission, and if they do that, a new scheme would surely be granted permission quickly.
Fromefield Co-op: Work has started in earnest now to build the convenience store. I am not aware of any complaints from residents, but if problems arise please let me know.
For previous news on planning and development please see http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/22/improving-planning-and-development/
Frome Renewable Energy share offer: mini-launch 3rd June [updated and corrected]
Frome’s Renewable Energy Coo-operative, FRECO, has launched a share offer whereby people can purchase shares (minimum £250) in a scheme which will invest in increasing in renewable energy generation in Frome, starting with solar panels on the Medical Centre and Football Club. As well as fighting climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it also offers a competitive rate of return on investment of 6%. The scheme was launched this week by Frome’s mayor Peter Macfadyen, and there is another mini-launch at Frome Medical Centre on 3rd June, so come along to find out more – see http://freco.org/2015/02/frecos-first-community-shares-tell-us-what-you-think/.
Showfield update:
I still await to hear from Somerset County Council whether there have been any objections to the proposed withdrawl of the Village Green application, the deadline for objections was yesterday. The withdrawl was necessary to progress the sale and transfer to Frome Town Council, which is necessary to secure improvements to site management and the improvements plan (using nearly £40,000 funding from Frome Medical Centre development to compensate for the loss of open space) and to involve local residents better in managing and enhancing the site in future. The background to this is here: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/22/conserving-and-improving-the-old-showfield/#page-content. Currently Mendip’s contractors plan to cut the grass for the first time this year at the end of May. A horse has also appeared in a different place on site this week, and I have notified site managers again. After residents expressed concern about the pond area (a soakaway) next to Selwood Academy’s site being a potential danger to dogs and children using the Showfield, I asked that it be fenced off, and the fencing was installed last week by Somerset County Council.
Leisure Centre update:
I will attend a meeting of Mendip District Council’s Leisure Partnership Board next Thursday, to get an update from MDC and Fusion, who take over the leisure centres on 1st June, on the planned transfer and takeover and improvements plan. Fusion will be talking at a future Frome Town Council meeting in May or June. I am pushing for Fusion to work with the Town Council and other organisations in Frome to improve sports facilities in a wider sense, and as Frome has had no ‘sports development’ service from Mendip for years. I am pleased that the right sort of conversations are now starting to take place as a result. Please see here for more on all this: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/14/saving-and-improving-leisure-facilities/
Frome Town Council news
Please see here http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/news/ for news of:
Mendip District Council news:
Just news of the elections in Mendip this month, at http://www.mendip.gov.uk/news
What next for the Lib Dems?
Much has been written about why my party the Liberal Democrats lost so much support in the general elections, and why our previous supporters went elsewhere (in four directions here I think). But, the Liberal Democrats are now seeing an extraordinary post-coalition surge in support, with over 11,000 new members since the election, over 1000 every day. They are joining us to stand up for liberal values, to defend our human rights, privacy, employee rights, our environment, the BBC, and to oppose unfair welfare cuts, and hunting with dogs. The likely abolition of the Human Rights Act particularly worries me – http://www.amnesty.org.uk/eight-reasons-why-human-rights-act-has-made-uk-better-place-british-bill-of-rights.
People can join at www.libdems.org.uk/join. Every member will soon be able to help choose our new leader and a new direction. Currently Tim Farron (former party President who voted against raising tuition fees) and Norman Lamb (the former Health Care Minister) have announced they are standing. We will be having a new members meeting soon in Frome, as there are now over 60 new members in the constituency this week.
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 Councillor for Frome College ward (Liberal Democrat)
07809 284817
http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk
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