Local News Monday 6th February

Monday, 6 February 2023 06:00

A former senior employee at South Somerset District Council, dismissed from her post for gross misconduct, has dropped a legal challenge against the Council. Work has started improving electricity supplies to homes in Sherborne. Wincanton racecourse has dropped its formal dress code for all future race meetings. There's been a rise in the number of young people reporting concerns about violent or controlling relationships in Somerset.....and more.

A former senior employee at South Somerset District Council who was dismissed from her post for gross misconduct has dropped a legal challenge against the Council. Clare Pestell, formerly a Director of Commercial and Income Generation, left SSDC in late 2021 following an independent investigation that concluded she had breached the council's code of conduct by not declaring using council staff and resources at her private business. Ms Pestell denied the allegations and had been due to appear at an employment tribunal against the council in Exeter later this week.

Wincanton racecourse has dropped its formal dress code for all future meetings. The course is one of fifteen venues run by the Jockey Club to no longer insist that those attending meetings should wear certain types of clothing.

Work has started on improving electricity supplies to homes in Sherborne. Scottish and Southern Electricity is investing one-point-seven-million pounds in upgrading the Sherborne Primary Substation by replacing vital components including transformers, switchgear and circuit breakers. It says the upgrade will increase the strength of power supplies to ten thousand customers.

There's been a rise in the number of young people reporting concerns about violent or controlling relationships in Somerset. The Somerset Integrated Domestic Abuse Service Helpline took 300 calls between April last year and January of this year – over the same period in 2021 the number of calls was 128.

Yeovil Town missed out taking all three points against Maidstone United at Huish Park at the weekend after conceding a late equaliser to the visitors. The game ended a 2-all draw.

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