Archive for the ‘Arts and Creative Enterprises’ Category

‘Goffstonbury festival’ statement

by adamboyden on 19 June, 2018

The organisers of Danny Goffey’s ‘Goffstonbury festival’ album launch house party at the edge of Frome have issued the following statement, in response to a few residents’ concerns about noise and parking (see May newsletter here): ‘Distiller Records are hosting an invitation-only 1 day music event to celebrate an album launch for one of their […]

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Mendip District Council’s Cabinet came to Frome’s Cheese & Grain last Wednesday to answer 20 questions from people in Frome.   Some 45 people (including about 35 members of the public, and district and town councillors) asked questions on flytipping, unconventional gas exploration (including ‘fracking’), renewable energy, council tax, local consultation and engagement with local people, regenerating the town, […]

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Merlin Theatre funding success

by adamboyden on 11 January, 2013

Merlin Theatre funding success My letter to today’s Somerset Standard, in press 16 January 2013, reads: “I would like to give three cheers to the Merlin Theatre, to congratulate the director, volunteers, staff and trustees on their recent great success in winning Arts Council funding for their programme development work. This is just reward for their […]

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Frome Showfield consultation report now available

by adamboyden on 10 December, 2012

The new Frome Health Centre is expected to open in January on the old Showfield.  The developers are contributing £38,000 for improvements and enhancements to the facilities at the Showfield, with nearly £5800 also for public consultation, through a ‘Section 106 agreement’ agreed with Mendip District Council.  Frome Town Council has been given an addition sum […]

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Here is our latest ‘Reporting back’ leaflet which highlights a few of the issues I have been working on, and which I will keep working on – Frome Market, open spaces and playgrounds, empty homes, flytipping, graffiti, speeding traffic, Frome Leisure Centre, supporting the Merlin Theatre and the arts in Frome, and future improvements to the Old Showfield.  Please […]

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Letter to Frome Times, w/c 12th March 2012

by adamboyden on 16 March, 2012

I was pleased to see this newspaper cover the Mendip District Council meeting which discussed budgets and medium term resource strategy, in the last issue. I and other Lib Dem councillors in Frome would like to challenge the statement made by Cllr Stephen Priscott, in which he is quoted, at the end of your piece, as saying […]

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I was disappointed to witness the decisions by Mendip’s Conservatives to reject the sensible proposals by Lib Dem councillors (mainly from Frome) that would have allocated more Government money to local projects and restored some Council funding to the arts,  at Mendips’ recent Full Council meeting, the same meeting that discussed the Council Tax for this year.  […]

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Somerset’s Liberal Democrat county councillors were appalled when attempts to debate the future of Somerset’s libraries was refused in County Council meeting held on Weds 16th November, when Conservative Councillors voted to stop debate on a Lib Dem libraries motion that was already on the published agenda. This is on the very day that parts […]

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Earlier this year, the Merlin Theatre and other arts venues in Frome lost all funding from Somerset, Mendip and the Arts Council, putting their future in some doubt. In May, I challenged the ruling Conservatives to live up to their local election campaign promise to “support local theatres and arts” in Frome.  At the last […]

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At last Thursday’s full meeting of Mendip District Council (29 Sept), the Conservative-run Council’s Leader and Cabinet member said ‘Yes’ to my 2 questions. Firstly, would the Council support a local bid to fund a project to enhance the River Frome? The answer was ‘Yes’ – Cllr Harvey Siggs, Leader of the Council, said he would love to support […]

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Letter: the Merlin needs Friends

by adamboyden on 5 August, 2011

Letter to Somerset Standard, Thursday July 28th:  I read last week’s front page story about the ‘precarious’ situation of the Merlin Theatre with concern. The Merlin is a much-loved local venue which is much too important to close. The abolition of funding earlier in 2011 from both Somerset County, who own the theatre, and Mendip […]

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