TOWN councillors have voiced their annoyance over a lack of communication from Mendip District Council concerning the type of play equipment needed for play areas at Blackbird Way and Hawksworth Close.
Mendip District Council has bought new play equipment for the play areas and was asking the town council to support the use of a S106 budget, provided by housing developers in the area, to pay for the equipment that has already been bought to be installed.
The district council’s request was considered at a full Frome Town Council meeting last month.
However, at the meeting members of Frome Town Council voiced concern that the equipment does not fit the criteria of the council’s own play strategy. The play strategy was produced after consulting local people, and includes guidance of the type of play equipment which is needed and where it should be installed.
At the meeting cllr Tracey Ashford said, “Frome Town Council over the years have developed their own play strategy and inclusivity and accessibility are of prime importance. It is the view of Frome Town Council officers that this play equipment does not fit the strategy and specifically it doesn’t address the access or the inclusivity needs.”
Councillors were advised that if the town council did not support the use of a s106 budget, the play equipment would either go into long term storage or be erected on another site, possibly outside Frome.
Clr Lisa Merryweather said, “It feels like we have been backed into a corner to take play equipment that we don’t know is fit for purpose. I want to say that this is disappointing.”
Cllr Fiona Barrows said, “The play strategy is an incredible piece of work, there is so much work that has gone into it. I presume it costs money to have it commissioned, then we get an opportunity to have play equipment that costs £46,000 and the two hasn’t matched up and it seems like such a waste of money.”
Airing frustrations about the lack of consultation from Mendip District Council, cllr Nick Dove said, “This is a significant chunk of money. It feels very strange and very wrong that an authority should allocate funds to a scheme without consulting with the local council, people and councillors. Hopefully the new set-up over there will consider what is consistent with local needs, rather than just imposing stuff at the tax payers’ cost.”
Cllr Mel User said, “This is a real serious point in that it’s a classic example of what we have put up with in the last decade. Mendip shouldn’t be doing this and I hope that the future unitary councillors that are here can take a lesson from this.”
Cllr Mark Dorrington said, “I am a bit annoyed this has been done to us, rather than with us, and I think most councillors in the town will be fed up with that.”
Urging councillors to support the use of S106 money cllr Adam Boyden, who is also a district councillor, said, “As I understand it, we had a meeting a few weeks ago and it was generally agreed in the room that mistakes had been made on this about consultation with each other, particularly with Mendip officers consulting Frome Town Council about what is best for the town, and now just looking at the spaces that council owns, or this council owns, in isolation. We are definitely going to try and make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
Leader of Frome Town Council, cllr Anita Collier said she was concerned about any potential loss of play equipment and S106 money. She said, “Whilst I am really quite cross with the way Mendip have dealt with this, there seems like there is an opportunity to learn lessons about more cooperation. I do think in this instance, we will be better off accepting this and just taking it on the chin and making sure that in future we can collaborate a lot better.”
Frome’s Mayor, cllr Sara Butler said, “I think we have acknowledged and it will be minuted that we are all doing this reluctantly.”
The council voted in support of the motion, to support the use of S106 budgets for play equipment at Blackbird Way and Hawksworth Close.
