Friday 3rd November

Friday, 3 November 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Somerset Council is looking to sell off £220 million of commercial properties at a potential loss of £70 million to help stave off bankruptcy. A teacher in Wincanton has been banned from working in schools after completing a prison sentence for asking pupils to send him indecent images. Despite the damp conditions, tonight's fireworks display at Minterne House near Sherborne is going ahead...and more.

Somerset Council is looking to sell off £220 million of commercial properties at a potential loss of £70 million. The move follows news that Somerset Council has to make huge savings in its spending or face bankruptcy. The Council's portfolio of properties includes ownership of shop premises like the Marks and Spencer store in Yeovil, office buildings and other commercial units both in Somerset and other parts of the country.

A teacher in Wincanton has been banned from working in schools indefinitely after completing a prison sentence for asking pupils to send him indecent images. 35-year-old Scott Evans, who taught at King Arthur’s School, served a two-year-and-four-month prison sentence after being convicted in 2021. The Teacher Regulation Authority, part of the Education Department, said there was no evidence that his actions were not deliberate.

The number of councillors on Somerset Council could be cut by the time of the next local elections. The Council currently has 110 members which is the third highest of any upper-tier or unitary authority in England. Now, the Local Government Boundary Commission is to hold a review and has indicated the number of seats on Somerset Council could reduce to between 70 and 90 by the time the next local elections in May 2027. The review will also look into the boundaries of the existing council divisions and may rename some divisions to reflect their local character.

Despite the damp conditions, Minterne House near Sherborne say their fireworks display tonight is going ahead as planned. Gates to the house open at 5 pm with the fireworks starting at 7.30 pm.

More from News

Thursday 30th October

Bird flu has been found at a nature reserve in Somerset, closing part of it down. St Margaret’s Hospice in Somerset is calling for the hospice sector to be given more central funding. The Barrington Boar in Barrington has been placed 12th in The Good Food Guide’s list of 100 best pubs in Britain... and more
Wednesday 29th October

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a mobile home near Yeovil. Somerset Council is suggesting people turn their pumpkins into soup this Halloween. People in Yeovil have until Sunday to comment on controversial plans to sell off four car parks in the town centre... and more.
Tuesday 28th October

Plans have been submitted to build 12 new homes in Chard. A nursery in Yeovil has been rated ‘overall good' by Ofsted. A Somerset mortgage broker has achieved national recognition. A stretch of the M5 at Wellington will be shut every night this week...and more
Monday 27th October

The Unite union has announced four days of strikes by its members at Leonardo in Yeovil. One of Yeovil’s busiest roads is closed to traffic today. Staff at the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard raised £3,000 taking part in a Sleeping Ruff challenge at the weekend...and more
Friday 24th October

New figures show that 500 young people were either injured or killed on roads in Somerset and Devon last year. The Old School Community Centre in Queen Camel has reopened, thanks to a donation of £10,000 from Somerset Freemasons. Two Fleet Air Arm engineers based at RNAS Yeovilton have recreated a family moment from 26 years ago...and more
Thursday 23rd October

Yeovil-born actress Sarah Parish is supporting efforts to reopen the Octagon theatre. Mobility scooter campaigners in Somerset have welcomed a government review of the legislation governing the use of mobility scooters on public highways. Changes are being made to the dates when garden waste is collected in Somerset...and more
Wednesday 22nd October

A major house builder in the South West says government targets for new house building in Somerset are 'unrealistic'. Pizza Hut is closing its restaurant in Yeovil. Staff at the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard will be taking part in a ‘Sleeping Ruff’ challenge tomorrow...and more .
Tuesday 21st October

Reckleford in Yeovil is to shut for 15 days for essential drainage works. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has paid out compensation of £23 million for claims related to birth injuries. A Grade II listed building in Glastonbury has been converted into a health and wellbeing centre...and more