Newsletter 25th June 2015

Please see below for news about:

• news about the development at Stonebridge (Forest Road shops)
• Fusion’s take over of Frome Leisure Centre
• Tim Farron
• Bus cuts
• Old Showfield
• Welshmill Park
• Missing Link fundraising

Stonebridge development update:

Planning permission was granted by Mendip District Council in January for the expansion of the Tesco Express, the creation of a new small shop and the building of 3 new flats above the enlarged Tesco. The development has now begun in earnest. I met the construction site managers before they started and had a full briefing. Please see here for a full update: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/06/19/stonebridge-development-to-start-next-week/#page-content Please let me know if there are any problems.

Leisure Centre improvement plans announced:

Late last week, Fusion announced their plans to improve Frome Leisure Centre later this year with £2 million of investment. This first stage of investment will provide:

• New large state-of- the- art gym with all new equipment
• New pool changing area
• New fitness studio
• New indoor cycling studio
• New soft play area and café
• New reception area
• Refurbished dry-side changing rooms

They plan to close the centre to the public (and school swimming) for 2-3 months in October – December to do the work. Frome Community College will retain access to the sports hall during term time. The work requires a minor planning application to be approved (for the reception area), Mendip’s landlord consent and further detailed design. I have been to several briefings recently and have pushed for public meetings to be arranged. The first public meeting will now take place tomorrow Tuesday 30 June at 5pm (until 6pm) upstairs at the Leisure Centre, when Fusion’s managers will explain their plans and take any questions. Further similar meetings will be held in July and August, and Fusion will speak at Frome Town Council’s next meeting on 22^nd July. I understand that Fusion continue to discuss future arrangements with sports clubs and schools, including the indoor bowls club about relocation.

Please see here http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/4240/Fusion-Lifestyle-announces-plans-for-multi-million-pound-investment for further details, and here http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/frome_leisure to give feedback to Fusion by email.

Please do come along tomorrow if you can. If you cannot make it, please look out for another opportunity in a few weeks, visit the websites or pop into the Leisure Centre to look at the plan in reception and ask staff there.

Tim Farron visits Frome

A reminder to party members that Tim Farron, one of the two Lib Dem party leadership candidates, is appearing upstairs in The George pub between 4.30-6.30 this afternoon, to talk to members. Just come along to meet him and ask questions.

Buses under threat again

Cuts and changes to various bus routes in and around Frome are being proposed by First. Any changes will come into effect in August. So far it looks like the 267 (through Rode), 234, 161 and 30 are changing or being cut, and that Faresaver are proposing to take on most of the routes that First decide to cut (i.e. 234 and 30 services). Please see http://favbug.blogspot.co.uk/ for details and how to get involved and have your say.

Old Showfield in the hands of the community

Finally it is nearly there, the deal that will see the old Showfield in the hands of the local community, that’s you, with the Town Council taking over control and management of this important open space. Please see here for the Town Council’s news and its request for your views: http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/old-showfield-in-the-hands-of-the-community/ More on this from me in a few days! This is where it had got to a few weeks ago – in the hands of the legal teams: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/22/conserving-and-improving-the-old-showfield/#page-content

Welshmill Park play trail:

Also please see here for news of a new play trail at Welshmill park: http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/more-play-at-welshmill/

Pedal powered cinema to help raise funds for Frome’s Missing Link cycle path

To create a traffic-free cycle path from the centre of Frome to the Colliers Way route, which leads to Radstock, £20,000 needs to be raised from the local community to get the next stage completed. Sustainable Frome volunteers have a plan to bring pedal-powered cinema to Frome this summer on Saturday 18th July. You’ll be able to picnic in Victoria Park, watching a family friendly movie (Ghostbusters) on the pedal-powered screen as dusk falls and the stars come out. They are also planning to have an early film showing for children, at around 6pm, inside a tent and there will be food for sale, popcorn, a bike ‘wash’, a raffle and information on the project at the event. To make sure this event happens, a little more money is needed – please see here if you want to help make this happen: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/pedal-powered-cinema-for-frome

I’ll be doing a full news update shortly. Please let me know if there is anything I need to be attending to,

Thanks,

Adam Boyden, Mendip District Councillor, Frome College ward (cllr.boyden@mendip.gov.uk, 07809 284817)

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