April news
Somerset Councillor for Frome North (Lib Dem) Learn more
by adamboyden on 27 November, 2015
Please see below my newsletter for Frome College ward, Frome and Mendip matters. I hope it is useful!
Frome Christmas Extravaganza: celebrations in the town centre start today from 5pm – see http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/frome-is-set-to-be-lit-up-for-christmas-this-weekend/
Congratulations to Frome: I and Councillor Claire Hudson have submitted a motion to Mendip District Council to ask that Mendip publicly congratulates Frome Town Council and the people of Frome on Frome’s 2 national awards, ‘Star Council’ and ‘Best Town’, at its next full council meeting on 14th December. See http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/11/27/congratulations-frome/
Victoria Park consultation: Frome Town Council are holding a meeting to discuss ideas for a health and wellbeing garden (at the ‘ideas’ stage) at Victoria Park, and the 3 tennis courts (to be built in December), on Sunday 29th November at 2pm to 3pm at St Catherine’s Church Hall, Park Road – see http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/victoria-park-and-mary-baily-public-meeting-29-november/ for details. Go along to find out more and have your say.
Frome Leisure Centre: Fusion have started work on the improvements to Frome Leisure Centre, but have just announced that ‘due to the discovery of higher amounts of asbestos being present than expected, our completion date will be pushed back a few weeks’ (from early January). A MDC Leisure Tenants Meeting is being held in Mid-December, when this will be discussed. Fusion’s news updates and contact details during the construction work are here – http://www.mendipsportandfitness.com/centre/frome_leisure/news/development-update
Fromefield Co-op opens next week: The new Radstock Co-operative store at the corner of Fromefield and Bath Road is due to open next week on Wednesday 2nd December at 9am. I have asked the site manager to ensure contractors’ vans are parked more safely away from the junction. More information on the background and what the store will include can be found here – http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/11/25/fromefield-co-op-to-open-weds-2nd-december/
Local crime – be aware:
Four burglaries have taken place recently in the Grange Road area, so please be aware and contact the police on 101 if you notice anything suspicious – see http://www.fromestandard.co.uk/Suspected-link-burglaries/story-28240421-detail/story.html
There has also been some wheelie bin arson attacks in Somerton Gardens – please see here.
A resident of Ashtree Road was also recently jailed for an attack and robbery on a man with learning difficulties – see here.
Showfield update: After taking over the old Showfield on 30th September, Frome Town Council are working up details of the initial phase of improvements, including to improve footpath surfaces, to address path flooding and make improvements to the playground. Frome Town Council recently fixed the street lights quickly, and will consult residents on their plans. I will keep residents informed as things progress. Please see here for details and background – http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/10/07/showfield-deal-completed/
Coffee and mince pies: Frome Lib Dems are having a coffee and mince pie morning on Saturday 12 December, from 10.30 to 2pm at Flat 1, Hillside House, Keyford, Frome. Please let me know if you would like to come!
Frome Sports Panel: I attended the third meeting of Frome Town Council’s Sports & Leisure Panel last week, which discussed some real tangible recommendations for improving sports facilities in three locations, sharing them better, and increasing participation in sport, including through a new Frome Sports Forum. I have also asked Fusion and Frome Town Council to get in touch with each other about a number of issues. Further details can be found here – http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/frome-town-council/meetings-agenda-and-minutes/panels/the-sports-and-leisure-panel/ and the draft recommendations are here.
Selwood Academy artificial pitch approved: Selwood Academy have received planning permission for their proposed 3G artificial pitch for football, hockey and tennis, and are seeking funding opportunities. Please see here for details: http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/01/16/selwood-academy-propose-new-3g-pitch/
Bath Road speeding traffic: Traffic speed monitoring at Bath Road coming into Frome past the College a few weeks ago showed speeds are too fast. The site has been added to the county council’s regular speed monitoring list, and I will be asking the county councillor and Frome Town Council to support action to reduce traffic speeds and improve road safety here.
Stonebridge Drive and Brunel Way: Concerns have been raised again with Somerset Highways that the gaps between the speed humps along Stonebridge Drive, where vehicles drive in the middle of the road, are unsafe. Further speed monitoring along Brunel Way has also been requested after residents complained about speeding. I and other councillors will be reviewing the results of further speed monitoring and discuss what action is needed to address these problem in the near future.
Tesco Express in Stonebridge should reopen in January with 4 flats above. I successfully argued for improvements to the plans, to improve design and lighting, and ensure no loss of parking spaces or trees, which will be replanted. Until Tesco reopens, the ice cream van is there every morning until 10am, so you can buy daily essentials and place home delivery food orders. The other shops remain open as usual.
Commerce Park developments: Acheson & Acheson are putting in a planning application to extend their successful beauty products factory, closer to the boundary of the Commerce Park. They held a consultation meeting this week with local councillors and the Coalway Lane Residents Association, to discuss issues arising, including noise. A separate planning application proposes to remove planning conditions currently protecting neighbouring residents from noise and other impacts from industrial and warehouse developments close to their homes – see here for details – http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/11/27/commerce-park-development-update/
Somerset County Council bus cuts: Somerset County Council are consulting on two proposals to cut subsidised bus services, and to cut concessions on bus services and community transport. Consultation runs until 11th January – please see http://favbug.blogspot.co.uk/ for details.
Free parking in December: Mendip District Council has announced that there will be some free parking in Frome on Small Business Saturday (6th December), and from 19th to 24th December – see http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/4422/The-gift-of-parking for details.
Saxonvale delays: A decision on Frontier Estates’ proposals at Saxonvale for a supermarket, retail park, restaurants, offices and a hotel has been delayed again. Frome Town Council and others have raised concerns about the impacts on the town centre, and there are traffic and other issues yet to be resolved.
Bath Road Heights: There is no news yet on the next planning application for (probably) 6 new houses at the former Mendip Lodge Hotel site.
Packsaddle parks future to be decided soon: The transfer of Packsaddle park, Chapmans Close games court (and Tower View park, opposite the Key Centre at The Mount) from Mendip to Frome Town Council should be on the agenda for MDC’s Corporate Assets Management Group on 14th December, but this is to be confirmed. In late 2013 I asked FTC to take over the spaces at Packsaddle so that they can be improved for the whole community, working with the Packsaddle Community Group. Please see http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/04/22/protecting-and-improving-the-packsaddle-play-areas-and-open-spaces/ for details.
Council Tax Bailiffs under review: After Mendip District Councillors agreed in October to review its policy towards the use of bailiffs in Council Tax collection, and to only use bailiffs as an absolute last resort, the first meeting of MDC’s new Council Tax Bailiffs Working Group is next week. Referrals to bailiffs have since April, and the Working Group will explore ways of reducing this further, to protect children and vulnerable households. Please see here for details – http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2015/11/02/mendip-lib-dems-win-vote-to-protect-children-and-vulnerable-people-from-bailiffs/
Mendip’s draft Local Plan Part 2 is out for public consultation until mid- December, and sets out where more housing and other development could go between now and 2029, including at least 350 more houses in Frome. It identifies two greenfield sites at Packsaddle Way as potentially suitable for new housing. Site 5 (‘the school site’) is between Leys Lane and Packsaddle Way, and site 61 is at the end of Packsaddle Way where a planning application for 107 houses was withdrawn last year. When Mendip allocate a site in the Local Plan for development, it is easier for a developer to gain planning permission. The Local Plan Part 2 also identifies open spaces that are protected from development. I will be asking that the old Showfield, Packsaddle parks, the green corridors around the Grange Road estate, and other local open spaces in this area are also protected in this way. Please let me know what you think so I can represent your views. Please see www.mendip.gov.uk/localplanpart2 for details.
Frome Town Council news:
Please see http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/news/ for news of:
Lib Dem news:
Some responses to the Autumn Statement (success on tax credits, but local council funding is cut drastically) can be found here http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/19/britain-lib-dem-autumn-statement-osborn-corbyn and http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/26/end-austerity-local-services-osborne-council-cuts (by Frome’s John Harris). The Lib Dem statements on the Syria military action vote can be found here http://www.libdems.org.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.
Thanks for reading,
Adam
Adam Boyden, Mendip District Councillor for Frome College ward (Liberal Democrat)
http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk
Useful Contacts:
Adam Boyden, Mendip District Councillor, Frome College ward (Lib Dem): 07809 284817, cllr.boyden@mendip.gov.uk, www.adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk
Frome Town Council – 5 Palmer Street, Frome, 01373 465757, www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk
Mendip District Council – 0300 303 8588, www.mendip.gov.uk
Somerset County Council – 0300 123 2224, www.somerset.gov.uk
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