For the first time ever a public meeting has been held about the problem of flytipping on and around Gypsy Lane, which has been getting worse for 20 years. I arranged the meeting which was held yesterday evening, with fellow Mendip district councillor Peter Knibbs (Con, Beckington & Selwood), Mendip District Council’s enforcement officer (Ian […]

Press release In response to continued complaints from local residents about the ongoing serious flytipping on Gypsy Lane and Berkley Lane, which has gone on for years just outside Frome, local district councillors Adam Boyden and Peter Knibbs have organised a public meeting on the issue. The meeting is on Monday 28th April, at 7.00 […]

Update 22nd April: Yesterday on Bank Holiday Monday, the travellers left the old Showfield.  The site is now secure from further incursion, due to swift action from various parties – well done all. The clear up will cost a fair bit, as there are multiple piles of tree cuttings, domestic waste and assorted things left […]

I received calls and emails from local residents at the weekend to inform me that a group of travellers, about 6 vehicles, had moved onto the old Showfield. I quickly informed the landowners (Frome & District Agricultural Society), Mendip District Council’s enforcement officers and assets department (as leaseholders), Mendip’s Cabinet members responsible, the Police, Frome […]

Yesterday Mendip District Council’s Enforcement officers agreed to my suggestion to hold a public meeting with local residents to try and stamp out flytipping around Frome. Mendip District Council officers gave councillors a briefing on how they are tackling flytipping and other environmental crime.  There have been some successes across Mendip in bringing cases and […]

My letter to local newspapers is below, Dear Editor, It has been two years now since Conservative run Somerset County Council cut the waste and recycling budget to such an extent that all household recycling centres were forced to close on 2 days and week and on Sunday afternoons, and new charges were introduced for […]

This week’s Frome Times reports: ‘The problem of fly-tipping in Frome has been highlighted as part of a BBC documentary. BBC Inside Out West investigated the problems surrounding fly-tipping, showing Gypsy Lane in Frome as a hot-spot for dumping rubbish.Fly-tipping is the illegal act of leaving waste on public or private land. As part of […]

Depsite a 9% drop nationally, Somerset saw a rise in flytipping incidents of over 50% in the year after Somerset’s ruling Conservatives cut the recycling budget, forcing recycling centres to close 2 and a half days a week and bringing in new charges to recycle some materials, and flytipping remains much higher than before. Last autumn, I and […]

1. One way people can help tackle flytipping is to report any incidents to Mendip District Council as soon as possible – report a description of the location, type of waste and any suspicious activity around the site, to Mendip District Council on 01749 648999. 2. Ensure that you only use licenced waste carriers to […]

In April 2011, as people will remember, Conservative-run Somerset County Council’s drastic cuts to their waste and recycling budget forced Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) to close all recycling centres in Somerset for 2 and a half days a week, bring in new charges for recycling some materials, and to charge for entry to Coleford’s and […]

Mendip District Council, Full Council meeting 27th September 2012: The following Motion was submitted by Councillors Adam Boyden and seconded by Councillor Sam Phripp: “Mendip District Council notes with concern that, since opening hours were cut and new charges introduced at household waste recycling centres across Somerset in April 2011, the number of flytipping incidents […]

My letter below appeared in the Frome Times on 17th July and in the Somerset Standard on 19th July: Dear Sirs, On Wednesday last week, the group of travellers living on the old Showfield left after two weeks, complying at last with the 2nd eviction notice served by Mendip District Council. I and the local residents […]

Soon after I wrote the original post yesterday, the travellers left the site during the afternoon, complying at last with the second notice served by Mendip District Council. I and local residents do appreciate the efforts of council officers and others to try and prevent the incursion and to make it as brief as possible. People […]

On Wednesday 20th June, a group of travellers vehicles entered the Frome Showfield site through a gap between fencing near the construction site for the new Frome Health Centre. The travellers were quickly confronted by the site manager and a Mendip District Council officer, who stood in the way and tried to prevent access. I […]

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 […]

I have been busy recently tackling graffiti at and around the shops on Forest Road, Stonebridge. Below is the content of my letters to Frome Times and the Somerset Standard to be published on 22 and 24 May 2012.  Some useful phone numbers and websites are listed below so that people can take action when any new graffiti appears. Letter:  “Dear Sirs, […]

Dear Editor,   At last week’s Frome Town Council External Affairs Committee I was pleased to see councillors draw on local residents’ talents in drawing up a new strategy for improving Frome’s open spaces. I was able to report that Mendip District Council is also now drawing up its own Play Strategy, and I hope to help the two councils work together and with local residents to improve open spaces through targeted investment, joined […]

Earlier this week I reported the damage to two bus shelters in Stonebridge to Frome Town Council, along Stonebridge Drive, where panels have been smashed.   The Town Council have now got back to me, and repairs should be organised shortly. If anyone has any issues to report in College ward please let me know.