It is official, Frome is in a housing crisis.

Amid horror stories of spiralling rents, growing homelessness and even a pensioner being forced to live in a shed, the Town Council formally voted to declare a housing crisis.

The vote, on Wednesday (August 9) was carried by a majority, but an earlier secondary motion which would have committed the council to actually doing something about the crisis was watered down amid voiced fears that it is not the job of councillors to provide housing solutions.

Those for the motion argued that the town, where a one bedroomed flat can cost £1,000 to rent, and landlords are urged to grasp the highest rent possible, needs a bold and clear direction of policy and one, like the declared climate crisis, which can then underpin all of the council decisions.

During an impassioned and length debate, the council heard that while everyone was agreed that Frome was suffering in terms of lack of affordable homes, and a lack of affordable rents, no one knew HOW this should be tackled.

Cllr Mel Mel Usher warned that " Even if we used all our budget to build homes, we could only afford less than eight houses." Adding that he was incensed by developers. who had gained planning permission for homes, but were sitting on the land waiting for prices to go up.

Should a council have some teeth ?

The proposer of the motion to declare a housing crisis, was Cllr Polly Lamb who urged councillors to make any decision have some 'teeth', and to be bold as Frome Town Council has been in the past.

However there was concern in the room about what in practical terms could and should be achieved by the council.

Cllr Max Wide warned that it was not with the council's power to create housing, or even form a specific plan for doing do, and it would be "utter folly" to move towards being a housing provider.

A representative of *Frome Area Community Land Trust said he was incensed by a window of a local estate agency urging landlords to come forward to get higher rents. He said: " We need the support of the Town Council, we need to be fired up and to keep making a noise about (this problem). Or the heart of Frome will be lost."

The final vote was passed with a majority, with the council now committed to exploring ways that the housing crisis can be tackled at the next meeting in October.

The Town Council vote was filmed by a television crew from BBC Points West who have been making a documentary about problems of those who live, or want to live, in Frome which is considered a desirable location for many moving out of the cities.

During the debate, the chamber heard that two young single mothers have been forced to move out because there is simply no where for them to go in Frome, while there are an increasing number of second homes and homes for holiday lets.

Other examples of the crippling local market include a family with a special needs child, trapped in adequate housing and that for each social home that comes up in Frome there are 83 bids.

The debate will be available to view on the council's You Tube channel HERE

*FACLT) and Fair Housing for Frome (FHfF) have officially united the two organisations, so that everything related to fair and affordable housing in Frome is managed by one organisation.