November / December news

Dear all,

It’s news time:

Mendip TUC meeting on Somerset cuts

On 27th November I attended and spoke at a public meeting about the impact of Somerset County Council’s current £14 million cuts on our community services (with more to come), at the Assembly Rooms in Frome, hosted by Mendip Trades Union Council. I joined speakers from Fair Frome, Mendip Citizens Advice, unions, and the Green and Labour parties. Cuts are happening now to family support services, Citizens Advice funding and more (see here). We agreed to work together to highlight the problems, oppose further service cuts and propose solutions. Please see the Mendip TUC press release about the meeting here, and more on specific issues below.

Save the Key Centre!

I am very concerned about the loss of family support services and the future of the Key Centre, in the Mount area, which is Frome’s last remaining Children’s Centre. This hosts Getset family support officers, services, activities and support groups for local children, parents and young people. It is now under threat from Somerset County Council’s cuts to the Getset service. I attended the Getset consultation session at the Key Centre earlier in November, and met the local community association and other local activists to discuss our concerns last week. We are now campaigning. Please see here for our letter to the newspapers and what you can do to help.

Stop the cuts to Citizens Advice!

Somerset County Council recently announced cuts to funding for Citizens Advice in Somerset. For Mendip Citizens Advice this amounts to £98,000, a 21% total cut to funding. Mendip Citizens Advice gives vital and cost-effective support to over 4000 residents a year on a huge range of issues (see here). Sizeable funding cuts to services will be counter-productive, mean less people get help with debt, housing, Universal Credit and other benefits, employment, legal, family and other problems, and increased demand for Council statutory services. Unless funding can be found elsewhere, or costs reduced, this will lead to a reduction in offices, opening hours, and staff (essential paid advisors, supervisors, and volunteers), meaning less people will get vital help. Please see here for more on this.

Frome Fireworks is thanks to proactive councillors

It was wonderful to see thousands of people enjoying the Frome Fireworks display at the Old Showfield in November, the first public display in Frome for years. I am not alone in calling for this to be an annual event, which Frome Town Council will be discussing at the next Council Meeting on 5th December at Frome Town Hall (see here).

A lot has happened since Frome Town Council took over the Old Showfield three years ago – better site management, new paths, repairs to the playground, a new outdoor gym, an orchard, seating, and I was one of those who worked for years to get the area into Town Council hands so it could be improved and managed better. Please see my full article on this here.

That good things happen in our town is dependent on decisions made by positive and proactive people willing and able to stand for election in the first place. The next local elections are in May 2019. Both councils need good new people to stand, to represent people in your area, to take action on the issues that you care about, so please consider it. There is a useful website www.beacouncillor.co.uk and please also get in touch if you are interested, at adam4somertonandfrome@gmail.com.

Saying no to fracking

A week ago I was on BBC Somerset radio’s Claire Carter show arguing against the Government’s proposal to take decision making on fracking (hydraulic fracturing exploration for shale gas) projects away from local councils and into Government control. Please see here for more.

Town Council Market Place improvements

Frome Town Council has consulted residents on the next phase of improvements to the Market Place, which intend to “address the problem of congestion caused by the current positioning of the bus stops and seeks to make the Market Place more attractive and pedestrian friendly.” If you have not done so already please take a look at the plans (see here) and email comments to consultation@frometowncouncil.gov.uk. I raised the question of whether the proposed crossings are safe, and the Town Council will again discuss the possibility of zebra crossings.

Mendip announces purchaser and a draft masterplan for Saxonvale

Mendip District Council has exchanged a conditional contract for the phased sale of the Saxonvale site to a developer – Acorn Property Group – to take forward the regeneration of the derelict town centre site – please see here for details. I and other Lib Dems and other councillors welcomed the purchase by Mendip and called for a public consultation on the plans before a planning application is submitted, so this is good progress.

Campaigning for a People’s Vote on the Brexit deal

The last three weekends I have been out in Frome town centre, with other Lib Dem and Mendip European Movement campaigners, talking to people about the need for a People’s Vote on the Brexit deal. Last weekend we handed out hundreds of leaflets/posters and stickers – please see here for more. Please get in touch to get involved.

Somerset councils study unitary options

Somerset’s county and district councils have jointly commissioned a study into the options for the future of local government in Somerset. These include ‘no change’, transformation looking at retaining all authorities and adopting different ways of working, and structural options which also take account Bath & North East Somerset Council and North Somerset Council. It will be vital to inform residents of the options, costs and benefits and impacts of each. Please see here for details.

Bath Road ‘pedestrian island’ crossing approved

In November, Mendip District Council officers approved the detailed plan for a ‘pedestrian island’ crossing at the top of Bath Road between the new housing development at the former Mendip Lodge Hotel site and Frome College. Please see here for details. The crossing has to be built prior to the occupation of the 5th dwelling on site and I await news of when that will be.

Packsaddle development site Local Plan allocation to be rejected

Mendip’s Full Council meeting in December will now consider amendments to the Council’s pre-submission Local Plan Part 2 which will remove the land at Innox Hill / Packsaddle Way from the draft allocations, after Cabinet approved the plan on Monday. This is after the allocation for up to 100 homes on the site led to over 100 objections from residents, Frome Town Council and councillors, including from me, so this is a victory for the local community. Please see here for more on this.

Packsaddle park consultation

Frome Town Council is now managing the park at Packsaddle Way and the games court at Chapmans Close, is making minor improvements (to the playground and funding for seating), and recently consulted local residents on how to spend £7500 on improving the park with new equipment or on play workers (see here). This is because Frome Town Council recently took a long term lease from Mendip which protects the park and allows FTC to make improvements, in a deal I lobbied for and helped arrange (see here). We await the outcome and a report on the next steps.

Somerset NHS consultation

The NHS is running a consultation to explain what they think are the main reasons for a need to change and improve our health and care services in Somerset. They would like to hear what’s important to you. For more information and to complete the online survey, please see here.

Frome Zero Nights homeless emergency shelter project

After a meeting with people from 10 agencies in September, Fair Housing for Frome are taking forward an emergency rough sleepers cold weather night shelter in Frome, as a volunteer coordinator has been appointed and volunteers have received training. Having helped initiate this, I am pleased to see it is happening before winter weather sets in. This is to save lives and give homeless people sleeping rough more support to change their lives. Fair Housing for Frome is organising further training for volunteers on Wednesday 5th December at 7pm in the Cheese & Grain – please see here and get involved.

News in brief

Earlier this month I had a meeting with Fusion and a local campaigner about the need and opportunity to provide better disabled changing facilities at Frome Sports & Leisure centre. It was a very positive meeting and I am hoping to see improvements here too, to continue the good work on Changing Places in Frome and Wells.

I attended the recent Frome Town Matters Meeting, which discussed a new bylaw to protect the River Frome and Rodden Meadow- see here.

Frome’s Christmas lights were turned on last Friday by a Frome record breaker – see here. It was great to see and hear the band, dancers, and the lantern procession, and see the community coming together to sing and celebrate.

Walkers are Welcome – last week Frome Walkers are Welcome organised a free walking event to celebrate achieving Walkers are Welcome status – see here for more.

The next Frome Town Council meeting is this Wednesday 5th December, 7pm at the Town Hall – on the agenda here are a review of the fireworks event and the climate change emergency.

Mendip District Council’s Cabinet meeting on Monday 10th December here includes an update on the proposed improvements to kerbside waste recycling, ‘Recycle More’.

Mendip next Full Council meeting is on Monday 17th December, please let me know if you have any questions.

Mendip grants are available to bring empty homes back into use – see here.

Why we must never get used to foodbanks – see here.

A report on the Old Showfield Apple Day celebrations – see here.

Less knocks on the door (from Council Tax bailiffs) – see here.

An evening with Paddy Ashdown in Frome – see here.

Other news

Please get in touch any time on any issue and I will see what I can do to help.

Please get in touch if you can help deliver my next newsletter as a leaflet across the ward.

Also please see https://www.somertonandfromelibdems.org.uk/ for constituency-wide news.

Best wishes,

Adam Boyden

Mendip District Councillor, Frome College ward

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Somerton & Frome

email aomboyden@gmail.com, adam4somertonandfrome@gmail.com

Web: http://www.adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/

https://www.somertonandfromelibdems.org.uk/

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