Somerset bin strike is called off:

Somerset Council announced on 18th July (see here) the good news that that the proposed industrial action by Somerset waste and recycling collection crews has been called off. This follows a positive response to a Unite ballot to members on an improved pay offer from SUEZ, the Council’s collections contractor. Services should be operating as usual and residents can present their waste in the usual way. The crews make over 350,000 collections every week, it is a difficult job and one that is highly valued by our residents. Thank you for your patience in recent weeks.

Somerton & Frome By-election this Thursday 20th July:

In case you have not seen the leaflets, the by-election to elect a new MP for Somerton & Frome, following David Warburton’s resignation, is this Thursday 20th July. To vote in person at a polling station you will need accepted forms of identification – please see here. Sarah Dyke is the Lib Dem candidate, if you would like to support her campaign on polling day please sign up here. We will need volunteers to deliver the final leaflets, be tellers at polling stations, and knock on doors or make phone calls on polling day to ‘get out the vote’. Here’s hoping for a good result and a Lib Dem MP for Somerton and Frome once again on Friday morning. Thank you.

Old Showfield play area consultation:

Frome Town Council are working on a refresh of the Old Showfield play park to improve the space for all the community. The plans incorporate some existing elements such as gateways and pathways, a roundabout and hanging swinger. The existing slide will be improved and recommissioned, and a new, wider accessible slide will be added. There are new elements in the plans such as a pole jungle, swings, trampolines, a sand pit with climbing structure, and both monkey and hanging bars. There are also some elements which the Town Council would like your opinions on – where would like to see benches, and a shelter, and what type of swings would you like to see? Is there anything they have missed, and what other comments do you have? So please see the proposals in detail and let the Town Council team know your thoughts by filling in the survey here by the 25th July 2023. Alternatively please email me at adam.boyden@somerset.gov.uk and I can pass on any comments and concerns.

Saxonvale declaration signed:

I and Sarah Dyke have added our names to a declaration, “We call on new Somerset Council to compare the Mayday and Acorn schemes for Saxonvale fairly and transparently to ensure the right plan for the future of Frome is taken forward” – see here. I agree with the declaration as a comparison of the two schemes needs to be fair and as transparent as possible given commercial confidentiality considerations, and is not an unreasonable request. Acorn recently consulted the community on their plans for a new pedestrian bridge, play area and riverside park – see here, and a Judicial Review into Acorn’s outline planning permission will be heard this autumn (see here).

Frome Housing Crisis meeting:

Frome Town Council and Frome Area Community Land Trust (FACLT) hosted a meeting on Tuesday 18^th July at the Town Hall to discuss the current housing issues in Frome and to raise awareness across the board. Please see here. The meeting generated ideas and recommendations, including for a research project, calls to declare a housing crisis in Frome, the need to amend local planning policy to require higher levels of affordable and social housing in Frome, and for housing on council owned land to be for 100% social housing (as is proposed at North Parade car park).

Frome Climate Fair:

Frome Town Council invited residents and businesses to the “Climate and Biodiversity: Frome takes action” event on Wednesday 19^th July at the Cheese and Grain. The first half of the meeting heard about the work of FTC’s Resilience Team and speakers from Green & Healthy Frome, Frome College and others, with an opportunity to discuss, ask questions and get involved. Afterwards the Climate Fair, with local organisations and community groups hosting stalls, there was an opportunity to talk about their work, and I caught up with Peter Travis and the Somerset bus campaign. Please see here for more. 

Somerset Climate and Place Scrutiny:

I chaired the Somerset Council Climate & Place Scrutiny meeting on Wednesday 19th July as the usual Chair cllr Dimery was otherwise engaged – please see here. We heard and scrutinised:

• future transport policy, including the Local Transport Plan process, which is becoming more sustainable in nature, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport (I asked about links with the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, such as Frome’s) be made clear);
• work towards a new climate, environmental and sustainability strategy;
• the Staplegrove Housing Infrastructure Fund (developments near Taunton; I asked the project team consult with Taunton Town Council and local councillors);
• the Mendip Local Plan review (see here), which has an even tighter timescale than before, and will start with a ‘call for sites’ on 24th July.

We agreed to form working groups to look into the detail of transport policy and the climate strategy.

Frome’s Rodden Road Post Office:

The Post Office at Rodden Road is currently closed, but the new operators of the Spar shop hope to open it again in a month and are applying to the Post Office – please see here. In the meantime, Portway is the only Post Office currently open in Frome, and there are post offices in nearby Rode (with a nice cafe) and Mells.

Holly Court road resurfacing:

Several residents have highlighted the very poor state of the road surface in Holly Court in Stonebridge, Frome, with around a hundred small and medium sized surface defects meaning the road should be resurfaced entirely. As a result, Somerset Council’s highways service has confirmed that Holly Court has been put forward into the 2024/25 surfacing programme, subject to budget availability, and that as an interim measure a works order has been issued to undertake repairs which will be undertaken as soon as resources allow. I hope this is satisfactory and shows that the council can respond to residents’ concerns.

It is also good to finally see the resurfacing of the entrance to Thomas Bunn Close at the top of Bath Road has been finished today (19th July).

Mill at Rode licensing application:

Butcombe Brewery has submitted an application to Somerset Council under the Licensing Act 2003 to relax and remove several licence conditions at the Mill at Rode with the intention of the pub becoming an events venue. Around 30 residents, including some local parish councillors from Rode and Tellisford parishes, attended a meeting at the Mill at Rode on Friday 14th July with the Somerset Council licensing officer and the applicants and tenants to discuss the license application. I and fellow Somerset Councillor for Frome North Dawn Denton also attended.

To respond to the application please contact the case officer olivia.denis@somerset.gov.uk for a representation form. Your representation must relate to one or more of the licensing objectives – to prevent crime and disorder, public safety, to prevent public nuisance, and the prevention of hard to children.

At the meeting, any residents raised strong concerns about the prospect of music played late at night to cause a public nuisance. The deadline for responses is this Friday 21st July.

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