Friday 27th October

Friday, 27 October 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Somerset Council has been warned that it could effectively go bankrupt within four months if current forecasts come to fruition and no corrective action is taken. Plans to build twenty-eight new homes at Tintinhull have been given the go-ahead. Huish Park will turn pink tomorrow when Yeovil Town play a National League fixture in aid of the Yeovil Breast Cancer Unit Appeal...and more.

Somerset Council has been warned by auditors that it could effectively go bankrupt within four months if current forecasts come to fruition and no corrective action is taken. Dr Marlene Davis, an expert in local government finance and an associate at the University of South Wales, says the financial problems at Somerset Council are becoming more widespread within local government.

A new Asda Express store has opened in Yeovil. The new outlet, on the site of the former Co-op petrol station on Sherborne Road, is one of 116 convenience stores and petrol stations acquired by Asda from the Co-op Group.

Plans to build 28 new homes at Tintinhull have been given the go-ahead by Somerset Council. The development, on the western edge of the village near the junction with Montacute Road, will be a short distance away from a new special needs school being constructed on the other side of the A303. Of the 28 homes, ten will be affordable, meeting Somerset Council's target of 35 per cent affordable housing for any new development of ten homes or more.

Huish Park will turn pink tomorrow when Yeovil Town take on Braintree Town in a National League South fixture. The game is being played in aid of the Breast Cancer Unit Appeal at Yeovil Hospital with Yeovil’s players kitted out in a pink strip. Much of the stadium will also change colour to pink, including the corner flags. Somerset-based TV celebrity, Sarah Beeny, who’s currently receiving treatment for breast cancer, will speak to the crowd to rally support for giving to the Breast Cancer Unit. Organisers say they need a further £30,000 to hit their target of two-and-a-half-million pounds to build the new unit and are hoping to raise that amount at tomorrow’s match.

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Thursday 29th January

Somerset Council has warned that more homes are likely to flood with further heavy rain forecast to end the week. Discount retailer, The Original Factory Shop, which has an outlet in Crewkerne, has gone into administration. A Barista at Costa Coffee in Ilminster has won a place in the finals of a national competition...and more
Wednesday 28th January

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has announced plans to develop a new operational base on the Leonardo airfield in Yeovil. Several people have been rescued from their homes in Ilminster due to flooding. An £800,000 project is underway to restore two staircases at Montecute House...and more
Tuesday 27th January

Last week was the wettest seven-day period in Somerset for twelve years. NHS Somerset says it’s working towards making access to dental care fairer for all. A scout leader in Somerset has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Young People...and more
Monday 26th January

A new group has been formed to challenge plans to build 100 new homes in Keinton Mandeville. Bridgwater Town Council has voted to increase its share of the Council Tax by 5%. Organisers of Yeovil in Bloom are appealing for young people to get involved in this year’s competition...and more
Friday 23rd January

New data shows that South Western Ambulance is one of the worst-performing ambulance trusts in England. Plans to introduce improved accessibility at Yeovil Junction station have moved a step closer. A community centre in Street is providing vulnerable people with a warm, safe place to meet...and more.
Thursday 22nd January

A new NHS diagnostic centre has opened in Yeovil. The go-ahead has been given to build a replacement school for Milford Junior School in Yeovil. A new 500-bed hotel-style campus is being planned to accommodate workers at the new Agratas car battery factory near Bridgwater...and more
Wednesday 21st January

Councillors have approved controversial plans to build four large carnival club sheds near Ilminster. Somerset Council says there's an increasing gap between the cost of education and the amount the government provides to run local schools. The Bridgwater Tidal Barrier, aimed at protecting homes and businesses from flooding, has been reduced in size...and more
Tuesday 20th January

Citizens Advice says thousands of people in Somerset have lost some or all of their council tax discount. The UK's first autonomous full-size helicopter, manufactured by Leonardo in Yeovil, has successfully completed its maiden flight. A new pharmacy has opened in Wincanton...and more