Local News Friday 25th November

Friday, 25 November 2022 06:00

Private landlords in Somerset are being asked to provide accommodation for Ukrainian families. The Boundary Commission is asking for people’s views on proposed changes to Somerset’s Parliamentary constituencies. Yeovil Town footballer, Charlie Wakefield has made a YouTube documentary looking at issues of mental health in football. Members of Yeovil, Sherborne and District Soroptimists will be out and about today campaigning in support of a safer world for women and girls. Plans have been passed to build a new visitor centre and café at Ham Hill Country Park...and more.

Private landlords in Somerset are being asked to provide accommodation for Ukrainian families. The County Council says Ukrainian families in sponsored accommodation now need to move into private accommodation but that not enough private accommodation has been found for the number of Ukrainian families needing to be re-housed. Under the government’s 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, a landlord would be given a one-off cash incentive of £1,000 per bedroom and up to £4,000 for homes with four bedrooms and above.

The Boundary Commission is asking for people’s views on proposed changes to Somerset’s Parliamentary constituencies. In some cases, constituencies will be called by different names. The changes can be viewed on the Boundary Commission website.

Yeovil Town footballer, Charlie Wakefield has made a YouTube documentary looking at issues of mental health in football. In the video, he describes his own mental health challenges and how he dealt with them. Charlie says he wants footballers to talk more openly about mental health.

Members of Yeovil, Sherborne and District Soroptimists will be out and about today campaigning in support of a safer world for women and girls. As part of ‘Elimination of Violence Against Women’s Day’, members will be handing out leaflets in The Borough in Yeovil and by the Conduit in Cheap Street in Sherborne.

Plans have been passed to build a new visitor centre and café at Ham Hill Country Park, near Yeovil. South Somerset District Council’s Area North Committee gave the scheme the go-ahead after being told that it would be funded through a £2 million grant from the National Lottery. Construction is expected to begin early in the New Year.

The wait time to take a driving test in Yeovil is now twenty weeks. New figures show the Yeovil Driving Test Centre has one of the longest wait times in the South West. Exeter has a four-week wait time, Dorchester five weeks and Taunton ten weeks. The coronavirus lockdowns are blamed for causing the backlog.

More from News

Friday 12th December

The Chief Executive of Somerset Council, Duncan Sharkey, has admitted to making mistakes in cutting jobs. Yeovil MP Adam Dance is supporting a Lib Dem initiative to introduce a new ‘Farm First’ training scheme. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has launched an appeal to help buy a second helicopter... and more.
Thursday 11th December

A man has appeared in court in connection with an attack in Wincanton. A member of Somerset Council, jailed for 26 months for taking part in a Just Stop Oil protest, may not have to stand down as a councillor. NHS Somerset has announced that changes to stroke services at Yeovil Hospital will "go live" in the spring of next year...and more
Wednesday 10th December

Avon and Somerset Police say 62 drivers were arrested in the first week of the Christmas drink and drug driving campaign. A reindeer farm near Yeovil thinks it may have to close after being told it needs a Zoo licence. Father Christmas has made a special delivery of presents to Charlton Farm Children's Hospice in Somerset...and more
Tuesday 9th December

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset has criticised the government for axing the role. Police are appealing for witnesses to a road traffic accident near Ilminster in which a woman was seriously injured. Residents of Freedom Avenue in Yeovil are raising funds for charity with a big display of Christmas lights...and more.
Monday 8th December

Plans to build 150 new homes in Ilminster have been scrapped. A Somerset councillor has been jailed for 26 months. Marks & Spencer wants to build a new Food Store in Ilminster. Poundland has announced that it’s shutting its store in Middle Street in Yeovil...and more
Friday 5th December

Police are appealing for witnesses after an assault on a man in Chard. Lloyds Banking Group has announced a date for closing the Halifax in Yeovil. Train journeys on the Castle Cary to Taunton line will be disrupted next week due to engineering work. The mental health charity MIND in Somerset has produced a Christmas advent calendar... and more.
Thursday 4th December

The Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police says her force is doing all it can to reduce anti-social behaviour. Somerset Council has deferred a decision on introducing Sunday car parking charges. People living in deprived areas in Somerset are being fast-tracked for hospital treatment...and more
Wednesday 3rd December

Fire crews have rescued the driver of a car that got stuck in floodwater near Ilminster. Avon and Somerset Police are urging people going out to celebrate this Christmas to book a taxi or use public transport. A woman from South Petherton has come top at the British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships...and more,