Town council gives green light to proposed devolution of Somerset Council assets and services

Frome Town Council has given the green light to a proposal outlining which local assets and services it could take on from Somerset Council in response to the county’s ongoing financial crisis.

The town council believes it must step in to protect essential amenities and services from potential cuts, while also seizing the chance to improve local services for residents.

Somerset Council declared a financial crisis last year, leading to planned cuts to services, assets and staffing to save £80 million. Following local consultation, Frome Town Council developed a draft Frome Devolution Prospectus, detailing plans for the town council to take on responsibility for various local assets and services.

These include managing 54 open spaces, including play parks, taking over various assets and services around the Cattle Market car park (excluding the car park itself) to increase vibrancy along Frome Riverside and the town centre, and the transfer of the freehold for the Key Centre and Mount Community Garden to support early help activities delivered by community groups. Other proposals involve creating more sustainable transport options, a re-use centre, and improved recycling initiatives.

The proposals were discussed at a full town council meeting last month, where councillors voted to adopt the Frome Devolution Prospectus, which will serve as the foundation for future negotiations with Somerset Council. The town council is eager to take over these assets and services to ensure their continued availability and to create a more vibrant and sustainable future for Frome.

Cllr Max Wide, who presented the prospectus at the meeting, described this as a “watershed moment” for the town. He stressed that if the town council does not seize this opportunity, some assets could be “lost forever.” He emphasised that it was not simply about rescuing services from Somerset Council but about improving them for the benefit of the town. “We think that the ‘crisis’ is best responded to, not just by Somerset looking at short-term savings, but by devolving powers, assets, and budgets to us, because we believe we can make a better job of them,” he said.

While the proposals received general support, some local groups raised concerns about the reliance on volunteers to take on additional services, with some already struggling to meet demand. Samantha Evans, a director of Edventure Frome, questioned whether the town’s voluntary sector could manage the added responsibility without additional resources. “It is very contingent on using voluntary support and non-profit support within Frome in order to achieve your dream, but that comes with a cost to the organisations that do that when we are stretched for voluntary support and stretched for money,” she said.

In response, Cllr Wide acknowledged these concerns and assured that the town council would work with local groups to address potential resource shortages. He also pointed out that any proposed changes could lead to an increase in the town’s precept, which had already been raised by 29% earlier this year. “I accept that none of these things are cost free,” he said.

Lenka Grimes, senior coordinator at Fair Frome, also highlighted the need to prioritise services and carefully consider which initiatives to pursue. “We are not going to do it all. There are 190 organisations in Frome, and actually, we are already doing some of these things,” she said. “We need to support existing organisations. Some are really struggling, or they have completely closed, so we need to prioritise and make sure we are doing more engagement and asking everybody, so it benefits everybody. We are going to have to make choices, we can’t just keep putting up the precept. Some things sound great but we have to prioritise.” 

Mayor of Frome, Cllr Andy Jones, concluded that the next step would be engaging in discussions with Somerset Council to clarify which assets they are willing to transfer and under what conditions.

Greater local control

Frome Town Council said, “This is a significant step in securing greater local control over assets and services, ensuring that the town can meet the needs of its community in a tailored and responsive way.

“The approved prospectus, which is available to view on the Town Council’s website, outlines a bold vision for transferring key responsibilities to Frome Town Council. This includes a focus on managing open spaces, community facilities, and essential infrastructure. However, progress has been slower than anticipated, with negotiations over many assets only now beginning. 

“In anticipation of devolution, Frome Town Council took the unusual step of allocating a £350,000 devolution budget as part of its 2024/25 financial planning. This budget, which represented 18% of the 26% rise in council tax last year, was created to allow the council to respond swiftly to any urgent service transfers from Somerset Council. As Councillors explained during budget discussions, this proactive measure was necessary given the uncertainty around when and how assets would be transferred.”

To date, £118,000 of the allocated devolution fund has been spent with an additional £25,000 is expected to be spent by the end of the financial year said the council, with any unspent funds from the initial £350,000 budget being rolled over to next year, supporting an anticipated £550,000 devolution expenditure for 2025.

The upcoming financial year’s budget is currently under review and will be presented for councillor approval on 15th January 2025, during a public meeting at Frome Town Hall. Residents are encouraged to attend and take part in the discussion. 

“This prospectus is a roadmap for ensuring Frome thrives,” explained lead councillor for this area of work Max Wide. “While the path to devolution has taken longer than expected, we remain committed to these negotiations and are prepared to invest the time and resources needed to make this vision a reality. Our goal is to create a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous Frome, and we believe this devolution deal is a critical step in achieving that.” 

The approved prospectus is available for public viewing on the Frome Town Council website: Frome Devolution DealProspectus.