Local News Friday 11th June

Friday, 10 June 2022 06:00

Plans to improve the appearance of Yeovil town centre are to be scaled back due to rising costs. Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has issued a warning following a house fire caused by sunlight. Work to restore the fabric of the historic School House, part of Chard School, in Chard, is nearing completion and Crewkerne boxer, Moken Mills has been crowned New England Boxing National Schools Champion 2022.

Plans to improve the appearance of Yeovil town centre are to be scaled back due to rising costs. South Somerset District Council is aiming to regenerate the town centre through the Yeovil Refresh programme, which combines improvements to public areas, with better transport links and supports private development on brownfield sites. However, the council has now announced that planned works in Wyndham Street have had to be put on hold due to a shortage of cash. The council has budgeted a little over £10.3m to deliver improvements to the public realm in Yeovil town centre - with much of this coming from a £9.75m grant from the government's future high streets fund. Additional funding of £1.7million was agreed upon by the council in February as a result of rising labour and materials costs - which have drastically increased in recent months as a result of Brexit, the Ukraine war and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has issued a warning following a house fire caused by sunlight. The property suffered extensive damage after sunlight was refracted off a mirror, setting light to soft furnishings. The fire service says it was a rare event but that homeowners need to be alert to the dangers of exposed glass surfaces reflecting the heat of the sun onto combustible materials.

Work to restore the fabric of the historic School House, part of Chard School, in Chard, is nearing completion. The School House on Fore Street built-in 1583 is one of the oldest buildings in the town and has been renovated with a grant from the Chard High Street Heritage Action Zone. High Street heritage action zone project manager, Anna Matthews says they’re looking forward to working with other building owners in Chard to repair and improve premises through the grant scheme.

Crewkerne boxer, Moken Mills, has been crowned New England Boxing National Schools Champion 2022 making him the best in the Country at his age and weight. The junior boxer defeated his opponent by a unanimous decision in the final of the competition. Moken, who trains at Crewkerne Boxing Club has now gone eight fights without defeat. This latest win makes him the best young boxer in England at his age and weight.

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Monday 15th June

People in Somerset are being asked to take part in a new survey about alcohol use. Yeovil's MP Adam Dance will lead a debate in Parliament today on NHS dentistry. A Yeovil runner has been selected to represent England at a national endurance championship... and more
Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more