Frome's newest ranger, Mike Wright, joined the town council's team of rangers this autumn, tasked with keeping Frome's central area clean and tidy. Mike's focus so far has been on street furniture and tidying up public pavements and footpaths. Street cleansing remains the responsibility of Somerset County Council, but Frome Town Council were fielding a significant quantity of requests from residents about the tidiness of central areas, and decided to step in. Frome Town Council's Environment Manager Rob Holden said: 

"The appearance of public areas makes a huge difference to the way people feel as they go about their day, and FTC works hard to look after the parks and green spaces that fall in our remit. Sometimes a local problem requires a truly local solution – so we recruited Mike to tackle some of the issues with tidiness and upkeep around the town ourselves. Mike is able to respond quickly, working closely with local businesses, to ensure the town centre looks it best and is a pleasant, positive space for Frome residents and visitors. If you see Mike in the town centre, do say hi: he'll be happy to discuss any ideas you have." 

Mike's recent projects include cleaning up the area around the front of St John's Church, along Gentle Street and the paved area outside Frome library. Mike will also check and refurbish street furniture and be the council's eyes and ears on the ground for troubleshooting any issues with the town centre. Mike said: 

"I'm enjoying being part of the ranger team so far and getting on with jobs around the centre that we know people want to see done. It's really satisfying to see 'before and after' of the work I'm doing and I hope it keeps making a difference for people and businesses."