Somerton and Frome | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Somerset |
Electorate | 87,921 (July 2023) [1] |
Major settlements | Frome, Somerton, Wincanton and Martock |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 |
Member of Parliament | Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Wells and Yeovil [2] |
Somerton and Frome is a constituency [n 1] in Somerset represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2023 by Sarah Dyke of the Liberal Democrats.
It was formerly represented by David Warburton, who was elected as a Conservative, but latterly sat as an Independent after losing the Conservative whip in April 2022 following allegations of misconduct. [n 2] Warburton resigned as an MP on 17 June 2023, thus triggering the first by-election in this constituency since its creation at the 1983 general election.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be subject to major boundary changes, with the town of Frome and surrounding rural areas in the (former) District of Mendip being incorporated into the newly created constituency of Frome and East Somerset. To partly compensate, the towns of Glastonbury and Street will be transferred in from the constituency of Wells (to be renamed Wells and Mendip Hills). As a consequence, the constituency will be renamed Glastonbury and Somerton , to be first contested at the next general election. [3]
1983–1997: The District of Yeovil wards of Blackmoor Vale, Brue, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Ivelchester, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Badcox, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Selwood and Berkley, Stratton, and Vale.
1997–2010: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackmoor Vale, Brue, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Ivelchester, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Badcox, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Frome Welshmill, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Stratton, and Vale.
2010–present: The District of South Somerset wards of Blackmoor Vale, Bruton, Burrow Hill, Camelot, Cary, Curry Rivel, Islemoor, Langport and Huish, Martock, Milborne Port, Northstone, Tower, Turn Hill, Wessex, and Wincanton, and the District of Mendip wards of Beacon, Beckington and Rode, Coleford, Creech, Frome Berkley Down, Frome Fromefield, Frome Keyford, Frome Park, Frome Welshmill, Mells, Nordinton, Postlebury, Stratton, and Vale.
The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the seat of Wells. It covers the east of the district of Mendip and the north of the district of South Somerset.
This area has a mixed economy, including agriculture and high-tech defence related industries. [4] In November 2012, it had below the national average proportion of jobseekers (3.8%) at 1.6% of the population. [5]
Election | Member [6] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Robert Boscawen | Conservative | |
1992 | Mark Robinson | Conservative | |
1997 | David Heath | Liberal Democrat | |
2015 | David Warburton | Conservative | |
April 2022 | Independent | ||
2023 by-election | Sarah Dyke | Liberal Democrat |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Sarah Dyke | 21,187 | 54.6 | +28.4 | |
Conservative | Faye Purbrick | 10,179 | 26.2 | -29.6 | |
Green | Martin Dimery | 3,944 | 10.2 | +5.1 | |
Reform UK | Bruce Evans | 1,303 | 3.4 | New | |
Labour | Neil Guild | 1,009 | 2.6 | -10.3 | |
Independent | Rosie Mitchell | 635 | 1.6 | New | |
UKIP | Peter Richardson | 275 | 0.7 | New | |
CPA | Lorna Corke | 256 | 0.7 | New | |
Majority | 11,008 | 28.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 38,788 | 44.2 | -31.4 | ||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +29.0 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Warburton | 36,230 | 55.8 | –0.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Adam Boyden | 17,017 | 26.2 | +5.3 | |
Labour | Sean Dromgoole | 8,354 | 12.9 | –4.3 | |
Green | Andrea Dexter | 3,295 | 5.1 | +1.4 | |
Majority | 19,213 | 29.6 | –6.2 | ||
Turnout | 64,896 | 75.6 | –0.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | –3.1 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Warburton | 36,231 | 56.7 | +3.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Mark Blackburn | 13,325 | 20.9 | +1.5 | |
Labour | Sean Dromgoole | 10,998 | 17.2 | +9.9 | |
Green | Theo Simon | 2,347 | 3.7 | –5.3 | |
Independent | Richard Hadwin | 991 | 1.6 | New | |
Majority | 22,906 | 35.8 | +2.2 | ||
Turnout | 63,892 | 75.8 | +3.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.4 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Warburton | 31,960 | 53.0 | +8.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Rendel | 11,692 | 19.4 | −28.1 | |
UKIP | Alan Dimmick | 6,439 | 10.7 | +7.5 | |
Green | Theo Simon | 5,434 | 9.0 | New | |
Labour | David Oakensen | 4,419 | 7.3 | +2.9 | |
Independent | Ian Angell | 365 | 0.6 | New | |
Majority | 20,268 | 33.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 60,309 | 72.2 | −2.1 | ||
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +18.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 28,793 | 47.5 | +3.8 | |
Conservative | Annunziata Rees-Mogg | 26,976 | 44.5 | +1.9 | |
Labour | David Oakensen | 2,675 | 4.4 | −6.4 | |
UKIP | Barry Harding | 1,932 | 3.2 | +1.3 | |
Independent | Niall Warry | 236 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 1,817 | 3.0 | +1.9 | ||
Turnout | 60,612 | 74.3 | +5.1 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +0.9 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 23,759 | 43.9 | +0.3 | |
Conservative | Clive Allen | 22,947 | 42.4 | 0.0 | |
Labour | Joseph Pestell | 5,865 | 10.8 | −0.8 | |
UKIP | Bill Lukins | 1,047 | 1.9 | +0.2 | |
Veritas | Carl Beaman | 484 | 0.9 | New | |
Majority | 812 | 1.5 | +0.3 | ||
Turnout | 54,102 | 70.7 | +1.4 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +0.2 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 22,983 | 43.6 | +4.1 | |
Conservative | Jonathan Marland | 22,315 | 42.4 | +3.1 | |
Labour | Andy Perkins | 6,113 | 11.6 | −4.7 | |
UKIP | Peter Bridgwood | 919 | 1.7 | +1.1 | |
Liberal | Jean Pollock | 354 | 0.7 | New | |
Majority | 668 | 1.2 | +1.0 | ||
Turnout | 52,684 | 69.3 | −8.0 | ||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 22,684 | 39.5 | −0.7 | |
Conservative | Mark Robinson | 22,554 | 39.3 | −8.2 | |
Labour | Robert Ashford | 9,385 | 16.3 | +5.9 | |
Referendum | Robert Rodwell | 2,449 | 4.3 | New | |
UKIP | R.P. Gadd | 331 | 0.6 | New | |
Majority | 130 | 0.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 57,403 | 77.3 | −5.4 | ||
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.5 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Mark Robinson | 28,052 | 47.5 | −6.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Heath | 23,711 | 40.2 | +3.9 | |
Labour | Robert Ashford | 6,154 | 10.4 | +0.4 | |
Green | Ms. LA Graham | 742 | 1.3 | New | |
Liberal | Ms. J Pollock | 388 | 0.7 | New | |
Majority | 4,341 | 7.3 | −10.1 | ||
Turnout | 59,047 | 82.7 | +3.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −5.1 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Boscawen | 29,351 | 53.7 | -0.7 | |
Liberal | Rowland Morgan | 19,813 | 36.3 | +0.5 | |
Labour | Ian Kelly | 5,461 | 10.0 | +0.2 | |
Majority | 9,538 | 17.4 | -1.2 | ||
Turnout | 54,625 | 79.4 | +2.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | -0.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Boscawen | 26,988 | 54.4 | ||
SDP | Nicholas Hinton | 17,761 | 35.8 | ||
Labour | Jeffrey Osborn | 4,867 | 9.8 | ||
Majority | 9,227 | 18.6 | |||
Turnout | 49,616 | 76.7 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
The Dorset and Somerset Canal was a proposed canal in southwestern England. The main line was intended to link Poole, Dorset with the Kennet and Avon Canal near Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire. A branch was to go from the main line at Frome to the southern reaches of the Somerset coalfield at Nettlebridge. Construction of the branch started in 1786, using boat lifts rather than locks to cope with changes of level, but the company ran out of money and the canal was abandoned in 1803, never to be completed.
South Somerset was a local government district in Somerset, England, from 1974 to 2023. The district covered an area of 370 square miles (958 km2) ranging from the borders with Devon, Wiltshire and Dorset to the edge of the Somerset Levels. It had a population of approximately 158,000. The administrative centre of the district was Yeovil.
Buckland Dinham is a small village near Frome in Somerset, England. The village has a population of 381. The village's main industry is farming, but the village is also a dormitory village for the nearby cities of Bath and Bristol.
Templecombe is a village in Somerset, England, situated on the A357 road five miles south of Wincanton, 12 miles (19 km) east of Yeovil, and 30 miles (48 km) west of Salisbury. It is located within the Blackmore Vale. The village has a population of 1,560. Along with the hamlet of Combe Throop, it forms the parish of Abbas and Templecombe.
Coleford is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the Mells River in the Mendip Hills five miles west of Frome. The parish has a population of 2,313 in 2011.
Langport is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, 5 miles (8 km) west of Somerton. The parish, which covers only part of the town, has a population of 3,578. Langport is contiguous with Huish Episcopi, a separate parish that includes much of the town's outskirts.
Curry Rivel is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Somerton and 10 miles (16.1 km) east of Taunton in the South Somerset district. The parish has a population of 2,148. The parish includes the hamlet of Burton Pynsent.
Huish Episcopi is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the outskirts of Langport, 4 miles (6.4 km) south west of Somerton. The parish has a population of 2,644, and includes the hamlets of Bowdens, Combe, Pibsbury and Wearne.
Long Load is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Yeo 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 332.
Great Elm is a village and civil parish between Mells and Frome in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Hapsford.
Trudoxhill is a village and civil parish near Nunney in Somerset, England.
Pitney is a village and parish in Somerset, England, located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east of Langport and 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. In 2011, the village had a population of 374.
The 2015 South Somerset District Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of South Somerset District Council in Somerset, England. This is on the same day as the general election, and other local elections. This election saw 29 Liberal Democrats, 28 Conservatives, and 3 Independents elected to the Council.
The 2017 Somerset County Council election took place on 4 May 2017 as part of the 2017 local elections in the United Kingdom. All 55 councilors were elected from 54 electoral divisions, which each returned either one or two county councilors by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office.
The 2019 Mendip District Council election took place on 2 May 2019 to elect members of Mendip District Council in England. As Mendip District councillors are elected on a 4-year term, the next election is due to take place in 2023.
The 2022 Somerset Council election took place on 5 May 2022. It was the inaugural election of the new unitary authority, Somerset Council, which replaced Somerset County Council on 1 April 2023. All 110 councillors were elected, representing the same divisions as the old county council, but with twice as many councillors representing each. The councillors elected first sat as members of the existing county council until its replacement by the new authority. The same councillors are now members of Somerset Council.
Glastonbury and Somerton is a proposed constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it will first be contested at the next general election.