Friday 26th January

Friday, 26 January 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

The campaign to stop the closure of the acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital has ended in failure. People in Yeovil could be paying an extra £130 a year in council tax to Yeovil Town Council from April to fund Local Amenities. South Somerset saw the highest increase in the number of fly-tipping incidents in the South West in the year 2022 to 23...and more.

The battle to stop the closure of the acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital has ended in failure for those who've campaigned to keep it open. At a meeting yesterday, NHS Somerset’s Integrated Care Board members voted to downgrade the Yeovil unit and provide a single emergency stroke unit for the whole County at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

People in Yeovil could be paying an extra £130 a year in council tax to Yeovil Town Council from April to fund the Town Council's take-over of services like public toilets, Yeovil Recreational Centre and the Octagon Theatre that Somerset Council says it can no longer afford to provide. Yeovil Town Council will vote on the increase next Tuesday.

South Somerset saw the highest increase in the number of fly-tipping incidents in the South West in the year 2022 to 23. Incidents increase from 478 in 2021/22 to 801 in 2022/23 an increase of 67.5 percent.

Somerset Wildlife Trust has been awarded £60,000 funding from the Blue Influencers scheme. It’s one of twenty-two charities nationally to secure funding and will receive £20,000 a year for three years. The grant will be used to employ a 'Blue Mentor' tasked with recruiting young people between the ages of 10 and 14, to create and implement social initiatives aimed at environmental betterment in their schools and communities.

The Managing Director of Thatcher's has expressed disappointment at losing a high court case against Aldi. The Somerset cider maker had alleged that the German supermarket had copied its cloudy lemon cider drink but a judge has ruled that Aldi hasn't copied the brand, and posed no reputational risk to Thatchers.

More from News

Tuesday 15th September

Police investigating an attack on a shop worker in Yeovil have released CCTV images of a man and woman they want to speak to. Farmers in Somerset are being warned to expect more cases of bluetongue. Ilminster Carnival Committee has announced the cancellation of this year's Children's Carnival due to a lack of entries... and more
Monday 14th September

Two new mobile NHS breast screening units have taken to the road in Somerset. More than 700 new homes are to be built alongside the M5 in Bridgwater. Dawes Twineworks in West Coker is one of several venues open to the public for free this month... and more
Friday 11th September

It’s going to cost more to park in Chard. Police have issued an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with two burglaries in Yeovil. Somerset Cricket Club is planning to stage performances by some of the world's biggest artistes at their Taunton ground... and more
Thursday 10th September

Work has begun building a new multi-million-pound David Lloyd leisure centre in Yeovil. NHS Somerset says a new system to handle emergency stroke care will lead to "better outcomes" for patients. Tickets for next year’s Glastonbury Festival will go on sale in October...and more
Wednesday 9th September

Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to following an assault in Yeovil. Businesses in Taunton say they're worried that planned changes to parking rules could put people off visiting the town. The Red Arrows will take to the skies near the Somerset border in a one-off display later this week... and more
Tuesday 8th September

Police in Avon and Somerset say they’re dealing with a big increase in reports of cloned vehicle fraud. A new video system designed to speed up stroke care has been launched in Somerset. Pilgrims are walking through Somerset this week to mark eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi... and more
Monday 7th September

Avon and Somerset Police are warning about a new scam involving criminals posing as police officers. Flu vaccinations are now available on the NHS ahead of the winter. Liverpool comedian John Bishop has cancelled his show in Taunton later this week after breaking his ankle... and more
Friday 4th September

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a vehicle near Shepton Mallet. New taxi charges come into force in Somerset later this month. The fire service is treating as accidental a blaze at a flat in Yeovil town centre... and more