April and May newsletters

Update 4th May 2017

Today is local election day – you will elect new Somerset County Councillors for Frome North, East and West and the rest of the county, and a new Mendip District Councillor for Frome College ward. I am standing for Frome North for Somerset, and I am endorsing Alex Shingler for Frome College ward for Mendip…. It was good to see everyone at our rally on Saturday afternoon too where our parliamentary spokesperson Mark Blackburn spoke to supporters.

On Friday May 5th the film I, Daniel Blake (Ken Loach’s quiet rage against injustice) is being shown by Fair Frome at 7.15pm at Frome Town Football Club – please see http://fairfrome.org/ for details and more about Fair Frome.

The next Frome Town Council meeting is on Wednesday 10th May, 7pm at the new Frome Town Hall on Christchurch Street West, and will include a presentation from Fair Housing for Frome (after their meeting on Saturday), and reports and discussions on nature rights, housing and employment development, the Frome Literacy Action project, community project fundraising, crowdfunding – please see here for the agenda and reports http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/meeting/town-matters-5/. I can testify that Frome Town Council meetings are very informal and engaging, people can raise questions at any time, and all are welcome so please come along to find out more if you can. I was a town councillor for 18 months up to May 2015, and keep in touch with the Town Council and other town councillors regularly.

A planning application has recently been submitted by Vodafone for a mobile phone base station – comprising a 15m shrouded monopole with two microwave dishes, three equipment cabinets and ancilliary works – in the corner of the footpath on the corner of Grange Road with Bath Road in Frome (application ref. 2017/1163/TEL). This is proposed because ‘As part of Vodafone and Telefonica’s continued network improvement program, there is a specific requirement for a radio base station at this location to improve coverage in the area to provide 2G/3G and 4G coverage in the area for Vodafone and Telefonica. Mobiles can only work with a network of base stations in place where people want to use their mobile phones or other wireless devices. Without base stations, the mobile phones and other devices we rely on simply won’t work.’ Please see the documents here http://publicaccess.mendip.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=OP2IVUKP04H00, or let me know if you need any more information – I have obtained some fact sheets. Mendip District Council’s planning department will accept comments until 31st May. More on this next week.

Update 29 April 2017

Dear All,

Here’s another update for you on local news –

Frome votes on new toilets in Victoria Park – Recently over 1,000 Frome residents voted in the Town Council’s vote on the public toilets in Victoria Park; and the results are in – see http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/frome-votes-better-facilities-park/ for details.

Mayhem in the Meadow on Bank Holiday Monday is just one of the Sports Festival events, which includes canoeing on Saturday 11am, Sports Fest in Victoria Park on Saturday 10am-2pm, fun and games at Rodden Meadow on Monday 11am-2pm, and a fun run around the Old Showfield on Saturday 6th May – see here http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/third-annual-frome-active-sport-festival/ for details.

Flytipping issues – after further complaints from local residents I have reported the awful flytipped manure piles at the corner of Gypsy Lane and the Commerce Park, which is blocking a footpath, to Mendip for action again. Mendip’s Neighbourhood Service team has agreed to remove the waste in the next few days. Please let me know, email neighbourhoodservices@mendip.gov.uk or call the council’s customer services on 0300 303 8588 to report any flytipping or build up of litter. Thank you.

Frome Business Breakfast – On Tuesday 2nd May, starting at 7am,Frome Business Breakfast will offer the opportunity for businesses and organisations to meet the local press and find out how to get the most out of local media: Booking is essential

When is a pedestrian crossing not a pedestrian crossing? When its at Bath Road Heights… The developer who has planning permission for 7 new houses at the remainder of the old Mendip Lodge Hotel site at the top of Bath Road, has proposed to install ‘dropped kerbs’ instead of a proper pedestrian crossing across Bath Road. The planning condition requires a ‘pedestrian crossing’ (which is defined by Somerset County Council as a zebra crossing or signal controlled crossings), so they are not proposing one. The road is busy at times and fast with speeds averaging 38 mph (85%ile in two recent surveys) and dangerous to cross for children (including Frome Community College pupils) and elderly people. The site is isolated from the footpath network and there is no other way into Frome if you do not have a car – that is why a pedestrian crossing has been required under a planning condition! So I am arguing with Mendip planning and Somerset highways officers that the developer’s proposals must be refused. I have also asked the developer’s planning agents to withdraw the proposals, and meet to discuss before revising their scheme to propose a proper pedestrian crossing scheme. Please let me know if you’d like to know more or get involved.

I am also looking to Somerset County Council to work out how to slow traffic down coming into Frome here – a permanent flashing sign would be good at least, and the 30mph limit needs moving northwards (it’s a long story) – if elected to Somerset on Thursday I will be able to pursue this fully.

General Election Campaign – Mark Blackburn, our parliamentary spokesperson and prospective candidate for Parliament, will be speaking at our campaign event on Saturday (tomorrow) at 2pm outside the Library. All are welcome. After that I am gathering supporters to help deliver and canvass in the north Frome area, and meeting Mark again at 4pm for a drink – please let me know if you would like to come to those. News will be announced next week about our new shopfront in town – you’ll never guess where… if anyone has practical skills and would like to help us make it a good welcoming place, please let me know.

Local elections – Thank you to everyone who is helping with leaflets or other things already.

I am strongly endorsing Alex Shingler for the College ward byelection on May 4th. Alex has shown great commitment to our community in Frome already, having served 2 years as Deputy Mayor for Young People and attending every Frome Town Council meeting for 2 years, raising issues with councillors and speaking up for young people, and all this whilst studying for his A levels at Frome Community College. Now working as an estate agent, Alex has committed to speak up at Mendip for every resident, particularly young people who are under-represented there. Alex is also a Trustee for a local charity, Young People Frome, who are committed to ensuring that every young person is given their opportunity to shine. They have also been heavily involved with local projects, such as Frome Youth Council, The Children’s Festival and Last Tree Dreaming. This latter project involved young students who found it difficult to concentrate in class. They teamed up with a local sculpture artist and their work can now be seen on the top field of Frome College. I really think Alex would make a great councillor for you, so please do lend him your support. To contact Alex please email alexjshingler@hotmail.co.uk or give him a call on 07823449505.

All the candidates for election on May 4th are all here in the Frome Times http://www.frometimes.co.uk/2017/04/25/elections/ and the elections are explained here http://www.frometimes.co.uk/2017/04/25/make-your-voice-heard-in-local-council-elections/. My and Alex Shingler’s record of action and promise of more can be found here https://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/2017/04/11/local-election-news/. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks for reading. Please reply to get in touch if I can help on anything and if you would like to help.

Update 24th April 2017

Dear All, Here is an update to my recent newsletter –

Hospital forum this evening:

A reminder that the Frome Community Hospital Forum is this evening 24th April at 6-8pm upstairs at the hospital on Enos Way, where people can pop in for 5 minutes (or stay for 1-2 hours) to find out more about the hospital service and talk to Hayley Hughes the matron (please see attached poster for details). An update on the future changes to the NHS in Somerset is available here – it’s all a bit vague at the moment but I am keeping an eye on it. The next step is the formation of ‘design groups’.

Frome Town Council update: The latest news on the Town Hall, the media centre development at the Cheese & Grain, FTC’s proposal to develop offices for small businesses at Saxonvale, Volunteer Frome, pubolic transport links, and the work of the town rangers, is here http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/latest-update-town-clerk-april-2017/ and http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/news/.

Frome Sports Fest: This Saturday sees the start of Frome’s annual sports festival, which includes more sports than ever over a week of free activities. Please see www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/third-annual-frome-active-sport-festival/ or the attached poster for details. Who is up for the fun run mile around the Showfield on the new paths (Saturday 6th May, 10am)?

Help end loneliness in Mendip: Mendip District Council and other public organisations have launched a campaign to end loneliness – please see http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/5177/Campaign-launched-to-End-Loneliness-in-Mendip to find our more and get involved. Mendip is working alongside a number of leading local health and wellbeing service providers, including Health Connections Mendip, Somerset Public Health and Mendip General Practices, to launch the End Loneliness in Mendip campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the support available for older people who are suffering from loneliness. As part of the campaign, launched today, a dedicated website has been set up – www.endlonelinessinmendip.org.uk – where people can go to find out about the support available and how to get involved in the campaign. The website also includes information about volunteering with local community groups, as well as information on how to become a ‘Community Connector’ and spread the word about the support available.

Elections news: Next week on Thursday May 4th you can vote for a new county councillor (and new district councillor in Frome College ward). I am standing for Frome North for Somerset County Council, and Alex Shingler is standing for College ward. My record and aims are here, and Alex’s is here. If you would like to help us with leaflets or a poster/board or in any other way (if you’re not already) please let me know.

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