From The Mayor

I hope you are all continuing to enjoy this unprecedented fine spell of weather and are making the most of the opportunity to explore Frome’s open spaces. 

Please be cautious and help us to look after these spaces by not lighting fires, BBQs or disposable BBQs and taking extra care with anything that could start a fire. I walked around some of the fields around the town during the eclipse and it was great to see so many of you out celebrating this once-in-a-generation phenomenon. I was lucky to have a pair of the special glasses but I was impressed with the variety of viewing aids some of you were using, from homemade pinhole cameras to welding masks and colanders.

The sun shone too on the Frome Carnival Fun Day in Victoria Park; I enjoyed meeting so many of you, especially those on the stalls representing our local charities. I hope you raised some much-needed cash as well as promoting the good work I know you do. I look forward to coming to see those who invited me to visit your organisations so I can have a more detailed insight into your aims and achievements.

I was pleased to be joined by councillor colleagues in the park so we could listen to your issues and some compliments! We also took the opportunity to discuss the Frome Nature Recovery Plan.

Nature and climate action are closely linked and we aim to bring together national, regional and local evidence, alongside community data, to identify where action will have the greatest impact to reduce flooding and heat stress.

Your feedback will shape the final plan, which we are aiming to launch this October. The plan will be a roadmap for Frome Town Council, the many organisations we work with, and the wider community to help nature thrive in Frome. Please find further details on the draft Nature Recovery plan at www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/contribute-to-fromes-nature-recovery-plan.

As well as being mayor and a ward councillor, my main responsibility within the council is being lead councillor for open spaces. This role means I am the liaison between the rangers and our main councillor group and as such I spend a lot of time visiting the many projects in which our staff are engaged across the town.

We also assist voluntary groups who want to help maintain and enhance our open spaces and one such group is the volunteer rangers who meet every Wednesday under the guidance of Ranger Asia. I was pleased to visit them recently to thank them for their efforts.

Well done Asia and the volunteers; your service is much appreciated. Find out more about becoming a ranger at www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/volunteer-rangers

Cllr Mark Dorrington