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Somerset Councillor for Frome North (Lib Dem) Learn more
by adamboyden on 22 February, 2016
Newsletter February 2016
Dear All,
Please see below my newsletter for Frome College ward, Frome and Mendip. I hope you find it useful.
How can I help? Please get in touch if you have any issues you need help with.
Let’s Clean up Frome:
Litter picks are being organised in early March to get ‘Clean for the Queen’ and involve the whole community in keeping Frome clean. The Stonebridge litter pick, being organised with Frome Town Council, HopeFrome and local residents, is on Saturday 5th March starting at 10.30am outside the Forest Road shops. Last year’s litter pick had the best ever turnout with over 20 people helping clear up paths, open spaces, the stream and the old Showfield. Please come along if you can, or get in touch if you can help clean up keep other parts of Frome. Please see here for details and about last year’s success, and here for the Town Council’s press release.
I have also been keeping an eye on the area with local residents. Please let me know if litter is building up anywhere, so I can report it to Mendip and their contractors.
Showfield improvements move forward:
In late January, Frome Town Council held a public meeting to discuss the latest plan for improving the old Showfield (and Victoria Park) with residents, which I helped publicise by email and leafletting (with a little help) 500 residents, but unfortunately I could not attend. I understand the plans are now being finalised for Town Council approval in March, and that a new Showfield Action Group is being set up as a way of getting residents more involved. I will be discussing progress with the Town Council shortly. Please see here for previous news.
Government cuts to Local Government fuel unwelcome Council Tax rise:
Council Tax is certain to go up this year due to Government cuts to our district and county councils, called ‘disastrous’ by the Rural Services Network. Tax is also being raised due to the increasing costs of Adult Social Care, and for flood prevention work in Somerset as no Government funding is available. Frome Town Council is also increasing its share of council tax to fund local facilities including footpaths, parks and public toilets.
To cope with the cuts, Mendip has also agreed to outsource more services such as IT, HR, finance, corporate and property services, with four other councils through a long term contract with Capita and Vinci. Some staff may need to relocate as a result.
Mendip Council meeting next Thursday – Any Questions?
Mendip District Council is meeting on Thursday 25th February in Shepton Mallet. The agenda (see here) includes setting this year’s increase in Council Tax, capital investment programme and budgets, the joint procurement of services with other councils, neighbourhood planning, pay policy, and bribery and corruption.
Does anyone have any questions for Mendip? If you have any questions I can forward them on to Mendip District Council directly to the Chief Executive, and it will be circulated to all councillors and answered (either in writing or verbally) at the meeting. You just need to email/ask me before the end of Tuesday. Of course, you can just ask me anything anytime, as usual, and I will try and deal with asap.
Frome Town Council meeting next Wednesday.
FTC’s next meeting is at 7pm on Wednesday 24th Feb at Selwood Academy, Berkley Road. The agenda (see here) includes the future of the town council’s panels, the One Planet Action Plan, promoting walking and cycling in Frome, council grant funding, and fundraising and support contract, finance, a response to the Government’s proposals to stop councils divesting from unethical funds, and a plan to support improved literacy in Frome. To ask a question, just turn up at the start and raise your hand under item 2 ‘Questions and comments from the public’ or when the item you are interested in is being discussed. Or email me and I will pass it on.
EU Referendum on 23rd June:
The Government has called a referendum on 23rd June when we will all be asked “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?”
We have seen an extraordinary 24 hours in politics, with Boris Johnson and 6 members of the Cabinet and other Tory MPs, along with Nigel Farage and UKIP, a few Labour MPs, and George Galloway (Respect) coming out for the Leave campaign, while David Cameron and 12 members of the Cabinet and other Tory MPs, Stanley Johnson (Boris’ father, wildlife campaigner and former MEP), Tim Farron and the Lib Dems, Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party, unions, Caroline Lucas and the Green Party, the SNP and others all firmly in the Remain campaign. Please do let me know what you think! If you are not registered to vote, you can do so here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Frome renewable energy conferences
An array of experts in renewable energy, low carbon refurbishment and sustainable transport are coming together on Saturday 5th March at the Cheese and Grain in Frome. The programme, organised in partnership with the Frome Twinning Association, also includes a seminar at Rook Lane on Friday 4th March focussing on policy, planning and finance to enable carbon reduction. Please see here for details.
Leisure Centre reopening in April:
I am a member of Mendip District Council’s Leisure Strategic Board, which secured the future of council leisure facilities last year through a 50 year agreement with Fusion Lifestyle. Frome Leisure Centre should now reopen in early April, 2-3 months later than was planned, as the amount of asbestos in the building and the time needed to remove it safely was higher than Fusion expected. Fusion’s improvements include new fitness studios, a large gym, new changing rooms, new soft play area, and a larger reception. There will be new arrangements for children’s swimming, and indoor bowls will no longer be played, with most members moving to another club. I am looking forward to the new look Leisure Centre re-opening as soon as possible. There is a Fusion shop in the Westway precinct next to M & Co, where they are signing up people for membership and the swim scheme. Please also see here for Fusion’s news.
I also took part in the Town Council’s Sports and Leisure Panel last autumn. A strategy was adopted by the Town Council to improve facilities, share them better, and improve participation in sport across town. If you can help, please get in touch.
Refugees welcome in Frome:
In response to the worst refugee crisis in Europe since WW2, I asked Mendip to do its bit to help. Mendip District Council agreed to help resettle Syrian refugees through the Government’s Vulnerable Persons resettlement scheme, and is now planning to move two families out of refugee camps and in to Frome. A community group in Frome has been helping prepare for their arrival but now needs to find accommodation (a 2 bed and 3 bed property) urgently. All upfront costs and full market rent for a year (and a holding period) would be covered. If you can help with accommodation, please see here or get in touch.
Keeping the Wolf from the Door:
Last autumn, I heard from local and national debt advice organisations that Mendip’s use of bailiffs to collect council tax was potentially harming vulnerable households and families struggling with debt, and that Mendip used bailiffs more often than other districts in Somerset. So I and other Lib Dem councillors asked for the council tax collection policies of the Conservative-run council to be reviewed. I am now part of the working group which is looking at ways to offer more support to vulnerable people and struggling families in collecting council tax without resorting to harmful enforcement action. I will be able to report back on the proposed improvements to the process in a few weeks. If you have experiences or suggestions which could help, please contact me.
Planning and development news
The expanded Tesco Express in Stonebridge has reopened with 4 flats above. I successfully lobbied for improvements to the original scheme, to improve the building design, provide new lighting, and ensure no loss of parking spaces or trees.
The new Co-operative in Fromefield is open for business. I am in discussions about the appearance of the store and other issues. If you have any issues that need to be raised, please let me know.
Selwood Academy has been granted permission for a 3G artificial pitch for the school and local clubs to use for football, hockey and tennis, and are looking for funding opportunities to make it happen.
Frontier Estates’ proposals at Saxonvale for a supermarket, retail park, restaurants, offices and a hotel were withdrawn in December after the Mendip officer’s report recommended refusal. It is vital for Frome to see this site developed in the right way. I hope that our Town and District Councils can find a way forward in discussion with the landowners.
At the Commerce Park, the landowners have proposed that B2/B8 general industry and workshop developments are sited in areas close to housing at the edge of Frome where only B1 business/office uses are allowed. Acheson & Acheson have also proposed to extend their successful beauty products factory closer to residents in this area. The planning conditions are there for a good reason, so I have asked Mendip to retain them, and objected to B2/B8 development in this zone, so that residents do not suffer from industry and warehousing too close to their homes.
Mendip’s draft Local Plan Part 2 was consulted on last year. Part 1 (adopted in 2014) set out how much development is needed in our area and where the largest sites are. Part 2 is the Council’s report on where development, including at least 350 more houses in Frome, could go in the next 13 years. It identifies two greenfield sites at Packsaddle Way as potentially suitable for housing: I objected to site 61 at the end of Packsaddle Way where a planning application for 107 houses was withdrawn last year, and raised concerns about Site 5 (‘the school site’) between Leys Lane and Packsaddle Way. I also asked that the old Showfield and other local open spaces throughout our area should also be protected as open spaces of local significance.
News in brief
The Merlin Theatre recently opened a new studio theatre at the College for more intimate performances. The Merlin also continues its “Lights Up!” campaign to raise funds for badly needed lighting and sound equipment as ‘match funding’ for an Arts Council grant. Please contact the Merlin Theatre if you can help.
Frome Town Council are helping local people stage their own street party this summer to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday in June. Please get in touch or contact the Town Council for details.
Traffic news
Work to upgrade the Rodden Road/Berkley Road ‘Vine Tree’ junction will take place over 8 to 10 weeks from late February. This aims to improve junction capacity, surfacing and safety. Somerset County Council warn that temporary traffic lights will be in place, and the stretch of Rodden Road to the north of the junction will be closed with a diversion in place. Please watch out for signs and allow more time for journeys in this area. See here for more.
After I asked for speed limits coming into Frome on Bath Road to be reduced, the County Council monitored speeds last autumn. This revealed traffic coming into Frome past the Community College is too fast and requires action. Somerset Highways have agreed that further regular speed monitoring, and a review of speed limits on Oldford Hill and Gypsy Lane, will now take place.
Concerns were raised last year 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. However, Somerset County Council have again rejected calls to replace the speed humps, as monitored traffic speeds are not high enough. Highways officers agreed to monitor inconsiderate parking at junctions in the area, and to reconsider the issue in several years time when road resurfacing is needed.
I have also reported the poor condition of road surfaces in Packsaddle Way and Pedlars Grove, and asked Somerset Highways to resurface as soon as possible.
Cuts threaten renewable energy
Last year I welcomed the installation of 560 solar panels on the roof of Frome Medical Practice by the Frome Renewable Energy Company (Freco). Freco are always looking for more large roofs and new investors, and a new Frome renewable energy tariff is being launched in early March. Adam says “We need to invest more in clean local renewable energy projects, to secure a cleaner energy future for our country.”
However, the Conservative Government’s recent cuts to renewable energy funding, including a 65% cut to the solar Feed-in-Tariff, threaten renewable energy investment and jobs. Lib Dem Energy and Climate Change spokesperson Lynne Featherstone said: “This is short sighted and flies in the face of the Paris Agreement on climate, which the Government was so keen to claim credit for. Britain has the opportunity to be the world leader in green technology. But instead, the Conservatives are risking jobs as well as our planet. This is a sector which is expected to attract trillions in global sales in the next two decades. Failing to invest at this critical time in its development is quite simply economic stupidity.”
Government goes ‘all out for fracking’
As part of its policy of promoting ‘fracking’ for shale gas, the Conservative Government recently granted licences to South Western Energy for potential unconventional gas exploration in Wiltshire and around Beckington near Frome. I and other councillors are keeping a close eye on the situation as a member of the MDC Fracking Working Group. This was set up in 2013 when Lib Dem cllrs successfully negotiated a strongly worded cross-party motion, in which councillors agreed they could not support unconventional gas exploration in Mendip at this time due to environmental concerns, including to Bath’s hot springs. Partly as a result, the former licences covering most of the district were dropped.
Update: At the meeting of the MDC Fracking Working Party last week, South Western Energy’s geologist outlined his current research, which is examining seismic data to understand the potential extent of shale gas and coalbed methane reserves in the blocks they have been offered in Somerset, Wiltshire and elsewhere, which is likely to take 12-18 months to conclude. If the research shows sufficient likely reserves, SWE may be in a position to propose to install exploratory drilling rigs to investigate the potential reserves. For the Wiltshire/Somerset blocks they have been offered, any drilling is likely to be in Wiltshire, and not Somerset, on current data. South Western Energy are first considering whether they will take up the blocks offered at all – see here for a map of ‘Eastern blocks’ ST84, 85, 94 and ST95 to the east of Frome (OGA licence excludes any ground activity in designated SSSIs/SACs at Salisbury Plain and the River Avon). I will keep you informed.
Please see www.adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk for further details of all the news stories here and more.
Frome Town Council news:
Please see here http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/news/ for news of:
Mendip District Council news:
Please see here for news of:
MDC’s meetings calendar is here – http://www.mendip.gov.uk/calendarmeeting
Thanks for reading,
Adam
Adam Boyden, Mendip District Councillor for Frome College ward (Liberal Democrat) www.adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk
Useful Contacts:
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
Lib Dem news: http://www.libdems.org.uk/news
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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