There’s quite alot going on here at the moment so please bear with me:

Bank Holiday bin collections:

The week after the King’s coronation, there will be changes to our refuse and recycling collection days:

• No collections on Bank Holiday Monday, 8 May.
• Collections will be one day later for the rest of that week – in Frome this is Tuesday morning.
• All recycling centres will be open on their usual hours each Bank Holiday.

To check your collection days visit somerset.gov.uk/recycling-collections.

New Somerset Council:

A reminder that Somerset Council formed just last month and now provides all the services previously managed by Mendip District and Somerset County Councils (and the other districts). To access council services there is now a single website www.somerset.gov.uk and a single telephone number 0300 123 2224 (open from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday). Council Access Points, including in Frome Library will remain (with several more opening elsewhere). The Council also started a weekly email newsletter you can sign up to, please see here Some useful webpages are also found here.

Cost of living support:

The Somerset Household Support Fund may be able to help support for vulnerable households which are struggling to afford household essentials – see here. Information on discounts or exemptions on your Council Tax is here, and to claim a Council Tax reduction (previously Council Tax Support) please see here.

History of One Nation – Ukraine benefit concert:

Somerset Aid for Ukraine is hosting a special concert of entertainment and discovery in the Cheese & Grain on Thursday 18th May, ‘designed for the British who opened their homes and hearts to refugees from Ukraine’ – please see here. ‘This theatrical production is educational from a historical point of view, fascinating by the musical talents of participants and exciting from the emotional side. It combines elements of the performance, video clips from the history of Ukraine and wonderful music numbers performed by famous stars, professional singers and amateurs. The evening reveals the wealth of Ukrainian history and culture, the difficulties that Ukrainians faced on the historical path of development of the state … All funds raised at this event will go to send medicines and humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine – see www.somersetaidforukraine.org‘.

Councillor advice surgeries start next Saturday:

I have always kept in touch with residents well via email newsletters and my website which has over 500 articles now (to subscribe or get in touch please email me), but I know councillors need to do more to be visible, available and there for you. So please do come and see me if you need to raise any issues, at my new informal advice surgeries – (more dates will be added)

• Saturday 13th May at the Cheese & Grain cafe, Frome, 9.00-10.30am (delayed due to the King’s Coronation on 6th May)
• Saturday 3rd June at the Cheese & Grain cafe, Frome, 9.00-10.30am

Councillor’s Corner:

It was my turn to write the Councillor’s Corner section of the Frome Times last week – please see page 25 here. This is rotated between the six Somerset Councillors for Frome, so please let me know any ideas for my next one in July.

Swimming Club to propose Bathing Water designation on River Frome:

As I reported last month, Farleigh & District Swimming Club is planning to apply to the Government to designate their stretch of the River Frome at Farleigh Hungerford as an official Bathing Water. Designation of the site would recognise that the river is legitimately used for swimming here, and help put pressure on Wessex Water and the Environment Agency to reduce river pollution (reported here and here). Recently, I and Dawn visited the swimming club, I have sent a letter of support for the application, and I requested and received (via cllr Sarah Dyke) a letter of official support from Somerset Council. The club is expected to apply in the near future. Please see the club’s website to get involved.

Your views are needed to help make Somerset more accessible:

A year-long project to make Somerset more accessible for disabled people was launched on 1st April. ‘Accessible Somerset’ is an ambitious project which will ask disabled people how life could be improved in various areas. The project is seeking volunteers to share their views and is asking for individuals and organisations to get involved by contacting Disability.Inc@wecil.org.uk – please see here.

Schools urged to promote new mental health app for students:

A new mental health app for young people has been launched in Somerset – the free Tellmi app is now available for all local 11-18 year olds, and gives young people the tools to manage their own mental health and support others – please see here.

New affordable homes proposed at North Parade car park:

Plans have been submitted for the development of 18 new low-carbon affordable homes on an apparently underused part of Somerset Council’s North Parade car park, comprising 9 houses and 9 flats. The consultation runs until 17th May – please see here for details. Frome Town Council is considering their consultation response at the FTC Planning Committee meeting on Thursday 11th May (see here).

Public consultation on new solar farm near Rode:

Renewable energy developers ‘Low Carbon’ are launching a public consultation into their emerging plans for a solar farm development. The solar farm with battery storage, is being proposed on approximately 69 hectares of farmland adjacent to the A361 to the east of Rode. It will have the capacity to generate approximately 49.9 Megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity. A public consultation is now being planned from Tuesday 2 May 2023 to Thursday 25 May 2023.

The developers have also asked Somerset Council whether the future planning application will require Environmental Impact Assessment, submitting a description of the development and potential environmental impacts, and the proposed methods for assessing them including proposed photoviewpoints – please see here for details.

New homes proposed in Norton St Philip:

Three planning applications have been submitted recently for new housing in Norton St Philip by housing developer Lochailort:

• 2023/0640/FUL – Land West Of 67 Fortescue Street, Norton St Philip, Frome – Erection of 8
  dwellings, a new vehicular access & footpath links.
• 2023/0643/FUL – Fortescue Fields Phase II, Norton St Philip, Frome – Erection of
  27 dwellings including 8 affordable housing, with associated access and works.
• 2023/0644/FUL – Fortescue Fields Phase II, Norton St Philip, Frome – Erection of
  30 dwellings including 9 affordable housing, with associated access and works. (This is for the same site as 2023/0643/FUL).

These are all resubmissions of previous applications, and will be discussed at Norton St Philip Parish Council’s next meeting on 10th May – see here. The larger applications are likely to come to Somerset Council’s East Planning Committee, and I will consider the need to refer the other. Somerset Council has agreed to extend the public consultation period on all three until 14th June.

Appeal for 49 new homes in Rode rejected:

An outline planning application for up to 49 new homes on agricultural land at Church Lane, at the edge of Rode, known locally as ‘Barbara’s Field’, has been rejected at appeal by the Inspector. Application ref. 2021/0071/OTS (appeal ref APP/Q3305/W/22/3292838) was rejected by a decision on 21st April after a two day virtual hearing, on the grounds that the harm to the character and appearance of the site and the surrounding landscape, and considerable harm to the settlement pattern, outweighed the benefits of the provision of housing, open spaces and biodiversity, and economic benefits.

Farleigh House licensing application:

Also being discussed at the NSPPC meeting next Wednesday is the application by Bath Rugby Ltd for a premises licence for their training facility at Farleigh House, Farleigh Hungerford, to permit the sale of alcohol, late night refreshment, and recorded music and live music until 1am – see here and here. Concerns have been raised by some residents about the potential impacts of noise and traffic, and the current and advertised uses of the facility. A number of meetings are now planned to go through the issues. Representations can be made on the application until 23rd May, to The Licensing Department, Somerset Council, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet Somerset, BA4 5BT or by email to licensing.mendip@somerset.gov.uk

Truespeed broadband:

Broadband provider Truespeed is proposing to bring ultra fast broadband to Frome, Beckington and Norton St Philips this spring and summer – see here.

However, as well as any cabling underground, this will involve installing telegraph poles in some areas, including in Laburnam Close, Ashtree Road and elsewhere, as signs recently erected show, and some local residents are concerned about the visual effect of these. Frome Town Council and I have asked for a meeting with Truespeed, and I will report back. Please let me know if any poles are being proposed in your street.

Green Spaces Fund open – deadline 12th May:

A new fund is open to bids from charities and voluntary groups – the Green Spaces Community Matters Fund, run by National Grid – is supporting charities and grassroots organisations to enhance their local environment and encourage more people to make the most of their green spaces. National Grid are offering grants of up to £10,000 to registered charities and eligible non-profit organisations, and unregistered charity organisations can apply for up to £2,000, for projects that will bring communities together, encourage more wildlife and biodiversity, improve air quality and reduce noise, as well as delivering health benefits, and creating employment and volunteering opportunities – please see here.

Old Showfield playground refresh:

As I reported in March, Frome Town Council announced at their February meeting that the Old Showfield play area was in need of a refresh and money would be sought from Section 106 agreements from a local housing development to improve and repair to play equipment there – see here. The Town Council is now asking play companies to bid for work. I and other councillors attended a meeting on site with Town Council officers and play company reps recently, and contributed to discussions, including the need to serve all ages of children and preserve a natural setting for the playground. The play companies will come up with their interpretation of a brief, and then the Town Council’s proposals will be shown to local residents for comment as part of a community engagement later this year. The Town Council originally took over the Old Showfield back in 2015.

Hawksworth Close playground improvements:

More good news is that, after Frome Town Council agreed to the plans in February (see here) I have been informed that the contractors for Somerset Council have it planned in to begin the Hawksworth Close play area improvements soon. The new play equipment should be completed in about a week (assuming there are no hold ups and the weather stays reasonably good). Thanks for your help, as without your feedback this would not be happening.

Packsaddle Fields briefing:

As noted in the last issue, Somerset Councillors were recently given an online briefing on the land at Packsaddle Way owned by Somerset Council by Estates team officers, including of a history of the involvement of the former County Council in purchasing the land in the 1960s for a school, and in deciding in March 2022 (under the previous SCC administration) that the land was surplus to requirements and to enter into an Options Agreement with LiveWest subject to planning permission being obtained for residential development. I and other councillors asked questions of the officers presenting, including about the decision last year and the local response. No decisions were made at the briefing. LiveWest is expected to submit a planning application later this year, after their pre-application consultation in March and April on a development of 74 houses and a respite care home (see here).

Frome walking and cycling plan adopted:

Frome Town Council have approved the Frome Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, at the last meeting in April (see here). The Plan aims to make walking and cycling easier, and bring about reduced speed limits in Fromefield and elsewhere, by setting out carefully researched recommendations as priorities that can attract funding – see here. I have asked for an Action Plan and a timescale for the short-term priorities to be implemented.

Frome sewage works flies – BBC radio interest:

Following my report to Frome Town Council last month, and Frome Nub News’s story here, BBC Somerset radio is interested in talking to anyone experiencing fly nuisance around the sewage works (see here) – if you are interested, please let me know and I will put you in touch.

After being alerted to the large swarm in mid-April, I immediately let Somerset Council’s Environmental Health team know, and officers visited site the next day. They reported back to say that officers observed the netting to be in place and fully intact for all the filter beds, that the Fly Management Plan will be updated to include the netting, and that they have not received any complaints around that time. I informed Wessex Water, and they responded on 18th April that they had not had any complaints in recent months, the netting on all the filter beds is in place and being maintained, there will be a review in June.

But if flies enter your property and cause a nuisance, you need to make a complaint, to:

• Wessex Water’s complaints line 0345 600 4 6000 (Monday – Friday 8am-6pm) or at https://www.wessexwater.co.uk/help-and-advice/customer-commitments/enquiries-and-complaints
• Somerset Council – https://mdc.somerset.gov.uk/make-an-environmental-complaint
• please let me know by email to adam.boyden@somerset.gov.uk and I will collate responses and make a report to both Wessex and the Council.

Deadline approaches for two energy payments:

Householders can apply for Government payments to help towards the costs of heating their homes, but deadlines are approaching. One is for people who heat their homes with an alternative fuel such as wood pellets, LPG or oil, as many do in rural areas; the second scheme is for households that have not received a £400 discount on their energy bills from an electricity supplier (in six instalments from Oct 2022 to March 2023) – so please see here if you might be eligible.

Bus use is rising:

Figures show more people in Somerset are choosing to ‘Bus It’ following the introduction of lower fares and evening buses as part of Somerset Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). After the introduction of the £2 fare for a single journey in Somerset, funded by the Government, along with the Somerset Council and Somerset Bus Partnership ‘Bus It’ campaign, passenger numbers have increased by around 14 per cent across the county. The Government has also officially announced its intention to continue the £2 fare across the country until 30 June. Somerset Council and the Somerset Bus Partnership launched the ‘Bus It’ campaign last summer to try and encourage more people to ‘Bus It’. You can find out more about it here.

The new First Bus express D2X between Frome and Bath includes some double decker buses which has great views from the top floor (see here, and here).

Flexible plastic recycling trial to start in Frome:

Following the success of expanded Recycle More collections, Somerset Council is now part of a national trial to recycle flexible soft plastics as part of household recycling collections. The small-scale pilot trial collections will be start at the end of May, for around 3,600 homes in Frome, with households being invited to take part by letter. This will pick-up a wide range of plastic bags and wrapping, including carrier bags, bread bags, confectionery wrappers, crisp packets, food wrapping and cling film – see here for details.

In Defra’s recently published league tables, Somerset’s 2021-2022 recycling rate of 56.2% ranks it 28 out of 228 local authorities – putting it in the top 15% and top 30 – see https://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset-recycling-goes-top-30/

Somerset is now in the top 30 councils for recycling, thanks to residents’ efforts – see here.

Local elections – Lib Dem landslide:

The only local election last week in the Somerset Council area was the first Town Council election in Taunton in 50 years, where the Liberal Democrats won 19 of the 20 seats – please see here.

Elsewhere in England, the Lib Dems did very well, retaining control of Bath & NE Somerset Council with an increased majority, and gaining over 400 new councillors and 12 more councils – see here, in results hailed by leader Ed Davey.

Sign-up for the latest climate news from Somerset Council:

Somerset Council has launched a new climate, environmental and ecological newsletter – you can sign up to receive it here. Sent on the last Friday of every month, it is “full of news, project updates, and inspirational ideas about the work going on in the county in response to the Climate Emergency, along with information and tips to help us all live better, waste less and reduce our environmental impact…” (see here).

Greener homes project wins crucial grant funding:

Somerset Climate Action Network (SomersetCAN) has won a grant to set up a not-for-profit service (Retrofit Somerset) promoting and supporting ‘retrofitting’ to Somerset homes to help reduce energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions, in collaboration with Somerset Council and Frome, Glastonbury, and Bruton Town Councils – see here.

Police call for witnesses after fatal accident:

Police are calling for witnesses to come forward after a tragic fatal accident occurred between a car and a van at the junction of the A361 and Parkgate Lane, between Beckington and Rode, on Friday 24th March – please see here. I have asked for a review of road safety in this area.

Meetings:

Meetings I have been to (online* or in person) since my mid-April news, include:

• 18 April: Somerset Council briefing on Local Community Networks*.
• 19 April: Frome Town Council meeting – see here, which dealt with the Frome Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, the football club, a review of open spaces and a new ‘oversight committee’. I caught up with it on Youtube (see here) as I was away.
• 22 April: meeting with Farleigh & District Swimming Club to visit club site and discuss future application for formal Bathing Water status for their stretch of the River Frome (see above).
• 24 April: met Fusion Lifestyle’s regional manager at Frome Sports Centre to discuss current issues.
• 26 April: met residents in Rudge concerned about unauthorised developments.
• 27 April: met Frome Town Council team and bidding play contractors at Old Showfield play area (see above).
• [2 May: Somerset Council Planning Committee East – missed due to birthday and school strike]
• [3 May: Berkley Parish Council meeting – attended by cllr Denton for Frome North]

Meetings in the near future include:

• Somerset Council meetings 
• 9 May: Beckington Parish Council: 7.15pm, Annual and Council meetings – see here
• 9 May: Rode Parish Council: 7.30pm – see here
• 10 May: Somerset Council: Executive
• 11 May: Frome Town Council Planning Committee, 6.30pm
• 15 May: Tellisford Parish Meeting, 7.00pm: AGM, at The House, Woolverton
• 17 May: 10am: Somerset Council, Climate & Place Scrutiny Committee, including updates on phosphates mitigation, electric vehicle charging, the highways service, and the new approach to scrutiny – agenda and reports will be here.
• 17 May, 7pm: Frome Town Council: Annual Town Council
• Somerset Council: 24th May: AGM, Full Council
• Norton St Philip Parish Council, Weds 24th May: Annual Council and Annual Parish meetings

There are of course plenty of other issues going on that cannot yet be reported. Please get in touch if you have any concerns or questions. I hope you find this useful.  

Best wishes,

Adam

Adam Boyden, Somerset Councillor for Frome North (Liberal Democrat) email cllrboyden@gmail.com / adam.boyden@somerset.gov.uk
phone 07809284817
https://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/

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