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 […]

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 […]

Press release: Mendip District Councillors Adam Boyden (Lib Dem, Frome College), shadow spokesperson on Tory-led Mendip District Council, and Gloria Cawood (Lib Dem, Cranmore, Doulting and Nunney), hit out this week at official denials that the recent reduction in opening hours and introduction of charges at recycling centres is having no effect on flytipping. They […]

Letter to Somerset Standard, 22 September 2011: “Dear Editor, Some local residents contacted me this week as they came across yet more serious flytipping along a long stretch of Berkley Lane to the north of Frome, next to my ward, where the roadside, verges and field entrances on and near the bridge over the Frome […]

Apologies for the radio silence. I have taken some time off since my mother sadly passed away at the end of February, after we moved her to Frome to be closer to me in January – please see here for my mother’s tribute site, and here for my tribute. It has been a huge shock […]

Somerset Council budget: Somerset Council’s meeting agenda for Full Council on 20th February, at Canalside Conference Centre near Bridgwater, are now online – (see here). The main item is the budget for 2024/25 and setting the year’s Council Tax, in item 11. The Executive recently passed amendments to withdraw or change a number of savings proposals to […]

Residents Survey: How satisfied are you with our area? What are your priorities? Please let me know by completing my Residents Survey. I want to hear from everyone, it will only take 5 minutes, and I will publish the results, keeping individual responses completely confidential. Saxonvale planning permission quashed: In quite big news, Acorn Property Group’s […]

Article published in the Frome Times, Thursday 12th October 2023, p24: As Oscar Wilde probably didn’t say, the problem with liberal democracy is it can take too many evenings. But it is important. Last week, at the Prosper Frome meeting I was happy to offer support to the potential for a OneBanx kiosk in Frome, […]

Update: The delayed public local inquiry into Somerset Council’s proposal to extinguish vehicular rights along Dark Lane and a section of Berkley Lane to the north of Frome will now be held on 9 – 11 April 2024 from 10am at Somerset Council’s offices at Cannards Grave, Shepton Mallet. The proposal, previously by Mendip District […]

On May 5th I was elected as one of your two new Somerset County Councillors for Frome North division (covering the parishes of Beckington, Berkley, Lullington, Norton St Philip, Rode, and Tellisford, and College and Innox wards in Frome – see here). This is my ‘monthly’ newsletter about council related goings on here. If you […]

Since being elected to Somerset I have been to many council meetings and briefings both locally and in Taunton and at Mendip. At Somerset County Council we’ve had briefings in person and online on being a councillor, council meetings, finance and governance, Local Government Reorganisation, the code of conduct, the Scrutiny process, economic and community […]

When you cast your vote on 5th May, please ask yourself, you will stand up for our community? Since I was first elected to Mendip District Council here 11 years ago, I have worked hard with others to improve the local area, making sure local voices are heard by those in power and being a […]

My heart lies in working for and with the local community to improve our world and make it a better place for everyone. Since first being elected to Mendip District Council in 2011, I have worked hard for 11 years (and on Frome Town Council for 18 months up to 2015) with and for the […]

As one of your local councillors it’s my job to keep people informed about local matters, so here is my latest newsletter. Help Ukrainian refugees: With the sickening Russian invasion of Ukraine continuing, so does the need to help refugees fleeing the war. Frome Town Council’s fundraising to help refugees in Frome’s twin town in […]

Please help Ukrainian refugees: With the appalling and heartbreaking news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is difficult to know what any of us can do to help. But there is one way – Frome Town Council has been approached by Frome’s twin town Rabka-Zdrój in Poland, which is 150 miles from the Ukraine […]

Dear all, as your local councillors we need to keep you up to date with council news, so please see a news update below: Glow in the Park at the Old Showfield: In case you haven’t seen all the signs, this is a reminder that on Saturday 30th October from 3.30 to 6.30pm the Old […]

Mendip District Council and Somerset County Council are informally consulting on proposals to pedestrianise Berkley Lane and Dark Lane, to the north of Frome, in order to reduce flytipping crime and anti-social activity, and to improve the amenity of the area. We would like to hear from everyone – local residents, businesses, landowners and others […]

Covid update: The Government significantly reduced the national restrictions on 17th May – please see here. Please see here for a handy local summary. Vaccinations against Covid-19 are now available for people aged 30 and above – please see here. Self-isolating if you have COVID-19, or are showing symptoms, is one of the most important things you […]

Covid-19 update – lockdown easing: The Government is now easing the national restrictions – please see here. People are allowed to meet outside, with one other household or up to six in private gardens. The stay at home rule has ended but the government urged people to stay local. Outdoor sport facilities have reopened, including golf […]