Frome councillors pick up their pitchforks in last resort

Story posted on August 12, 2014

Frome residents and councillors clearing The Dippy

A TEAM of tool-wielding residents and councillors have taken matters into their own hands and set to work on clearing ‘The Dippy’ in Frome.

The Dippy is a large area of green space off Culverhill, with steeply banked sides and concrete culvert running through it.

Frome Town Council has been trying to acquire the land – which is often considered to be neglected – from Mendip Council, with the hope of maintaining it themselves.

Frome mayor cllr Peter Macfayden was amongst the vigilante gardeners, and wrote to the Frome Times. The mayor said, “We shouldn’t have had to do this, and it might not have even been legal as the land is owned by Mendip District Council.

“But for many years the land has been poorly maintained, and what is really an asset has become an eyesore.

“In 2013 after years of badgering, Mendip agreed to transfer the land to Frome Town Council, who then came up with a detailed plan via a commissioned consultation.

“After Mendip’s stagnancy due to ‘lack of resources’, Frome Town Council started work on regular maintenance, only to find it was uninsured to do so.

“After being pressed for the documents to allow the council to maintain the Dippy, Mendip said they were unhappy with volunteers being involved and postponed the process.

“Then, come July, residents rightly began to complain about overgrown vegetation.

“As a result and last resort,  a group of Frome councillors and volunteers, with free strimmer hire from Sydenhams, took matters into our own hands.

“So here we are, a year later and no further forward. Anybody out there got any ideas?”