Original article (also see update below): I was recently made aware that standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of people with a complex or profound disability who need extra facilities to allow them to use a toilet with dignity. This includes people with physical and learning difficulties, spinal injuries, and people living with […]

Dear All,   A quick update – and some questions at the end for you –   Referendum approves Frome’s Neighbourhood Plan: Yesterday the people of Frome voted to back proposals for a new Neighbourhood Plan, with 86% voting in favour and 14% against. A total of 3,631 people voted – a turnout of 17.9% […]

Dear All,  I hope you find this update on news for Frome College ward, Frome, Mendip and the wider world useful. Please get in touch if you have any issues you need help with. A quick update on news for Frome College ward and surrounding areas in Frome, Mendip and Somerset. How can I help? […]

Dear All,  I hope you find this update on news for Frome College ward, Frome and Mendip useful. How can I help? As ever, please get in touch if you have any issues you need help with. Super Frome 10k: Once again I am running the Frome 10k on Sunday 17th July as part of […]

The Lib Dem Group of councillors at Mendip are pleased to report that we were able to persuade Mendip District Council to agree to a review of the system for chasing up non-payment of council tax. A successful motion, proposed by Councillor Adam Boyden (Frome College ward) led to a cross-party review into how the […]

Dear All, A quick update for you on news for Frome College ward, Frome and Mendip. I hope you find it useful. How can I help? Please get in touch if you have any issues you need help with. Frome Leisure Centre to reopen on 1st June: Fusion have now announced that the revamped Frome […]

At the Commerce Park, in planning application 2015/2871/FUL, Acheson & Acheson proposed to extend their successful beauty products factory (a B1/B2/B8 development) to the south west. This is within the zone next to the residential boundary, previously reserved for B1 uses (businesses compatible with a residential area) under conditions 30 and 32 of the outline […]

At the Commerce Park, in planning application 2015/2871/FUL, Acheson & Acheson have proposed to extend their successful beauty products factory (a B1/B2/B8 development) to the south west. This is within the zone currently reserved for B1 uses (businesses compatible with a residential area) under conditions 30 and 32 of the outline planning permission, but because […]

Please see below my newsletter for Frome College ward, Frome and Mendip. I hope you find it useful. How can I help? Please get in touch if you have any issues you need help with. Leisure Centre reopening delayed: As a member of Mendip District Council’s Leisure Strategic Board, last week I had a tour […]

Showfield Improvement Plans debated tonight Please see a link to the report on the proposed Old Showfield management and improvement plan, which is being debated and hopefully approved at Frome Town Council’s meeting at 7pm at Rook Lane Chapel tonight, as item 7 of the agenda on pages 12-14, and at Appendix 3 here http://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/meeting/full-council-meeting-3/  […]

Please see news out today of action on flytipping at Gypsy Lane – http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/4566/Mendip-cracks-down-on-fly-tippers Mendip district council is to renew its efforts to identify offenders and reduce the number of fly-tipping incidents in the Gypsy Lane/Dark Lane area. The council’s press release says “The first step is to introduce an 18-month temporary road closure of […]

Local residents and Frome Town Council are joining the UK’s largest litter pick to try to clean up the country in time for June – when the official celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday will take place. One big litter pick is being organised by local residents in the Stonebridge area of Frome on Saturday […]

It’s great news this week for residents of the Packsaddle area. Mendip District Council’s Corporate Assets Management Group agreed on Monday to transfer the Packsaddle park and Chapmans Close open space to Frome Town Council on a long term lease, so that the parks are protected and local residents and the Packsaddle Community Group can […]

Mendip’s draft Local Plan Part 2 was published for public consultation until 16th December, and sets out where more housing and other development could go between now and 2029, including at least 350 more houses in Frome. It identifies two greenfield sites at Packsaddle Way as potentially suitable for new housing. Site 5 (‘the school […]

I and Councillor Claire Hudson submitted a motion to Mendip District Council to ask that Mendip publicly congratulates Frome Town Council and the people of Frome on Frome’s 2 national awards, ‘Star Council’ and ‘Best Town’, at its next full council meeting on 14th December. Update 17 December: It is good news that Mendip district […]

This evening I gave the following update to the full Frome Town Council meeting, by email as I could not attend in person:   I and Councillor Claire Hudson have submitted a motion to Mendip District Council to ask that Mendip publicly congratulates Frome Town Council and the people of Frome on Frome’s 2 national awards, ‘Star Council’ […]

The new Co-op convenience store at Fromefield is nearing completion and is planning to open on Wednesday 2nd December at 9am. The store has been fitted out to a high specification, with energy efficient and eco-friendly equipment and systems ‘installed where possible’. The store will include ‘an in-store bakery, coffee machine, hot and cold ‘food […]

Mendip Liberal Democrat Councillors have won a vote to safeguard children and the vulnerable, including those suffering with serious physical or mental illness, from bailiffs in the Mendip Council area. As a result, the Council will now use bailiffs to collect Council Tax only as an ‘absolute last resort’. Furthermore, the tax collection and enforcement […]

Danny Unwin (Mendip District Councillor, Wells St Thomas, and a former leader of the Lib Dem group at Mendip) was re-elected time after time on a Liberal Democrat platform and gained a reputation for challenging and opposing Conservative policies. We are disappointed that he has chosen to join the Conservatives, but hope he will take on the […]

Tesco Express in Stonebridge should reopen in December as a larger store and 4 flats (‘Acacia View’) above. I successfully argued for improvements to the planning application (2014/0970/FUL) to improve the design and lighting, and ensure no overall loss of parking spaces or trees, which will be replanted. New plans have been recently submitted for […]