Local News Monday 8th August

Monday, 8 August 2022 06:00

Plans to improve the appearance of Wincanton have been put on hold following a change of mind at South Somerset District Council. A campaign has been launched to have the gates to Yeovil Town’s original ground at Pen Mill preserved. Volunteers are needed to help with the rollout of the Covid19 booster programme in Somerset. The site of a former garage on the A30 Yeovil to Sherborne dual carriageway has been put up for sale with development potential...and more.

Plans to improve the appearance of Wincanton have been put on hold following a change of mind at South Somerset District Council. The council has committed £2m towards regenerating Wincanton town centre, organising cultural events and giving grants to bring buildings back into a decent state. However council members have decided not to proceed with the work until after the new Somerset Unitary Council comes into being in April next year.

A campaign has been launched to have the gates to Yeovil Town’s original ground at Pen Mill preserved. The iron gates that mark the entrance to the old Yeovil Town pitch off Sherborne Road date back to the 1890s. Michael West, a member of Yeovil Heritage Society, says the gates are an integral part of Yeovil’s history and should be kept.

Volunteers are needed to help with the rollout of the Covid19 booster programme in Somerset. From September, everyone aged over 50 will be offered the jab. St John Ambulance is asking people to volunteer now so there's time for them to be trained ahead of next month’s rollout.

The site of a former garage on the A30 Yeovil to Sherborne dual carriageway has been put up for sale with development potential. The property, known as Forward Garage, comes with a 1.3-acre plot and range of outbuildings and is offered with a guide price of £650,000.

People in Somerset are being invited to join a new Customer Panel to help shape the future of council services when the new Somerset Unitary Council comes into being in April next year. The new council will run everything from waste collection to adult social care and replace Somerset’s district councils and the County Council. Panel members will have the chance to take part in online surveys, one-to-one interviews, usability tests, and discussion groups to influence how the new Council operates.

More from News

Thursday 13th August

An Ilminster family is celebrating after winning one million pounds on the National Lottery. Police have released a picture of a man they want to speak to in connection with suspected frauds in Somerset. Somerset Council has opened a tendering process to find a main contractor for the £15 million upgrade of Yeovil’s Octagon theatre... and more
Wednesday 12th August

Experts say with good visibility forecast for this evening, people across Somerset should have some of the best views of the solar eclipse anywhere in the UK. A Somerset councillor is calling for the Stop Line cycle route between Chard and Ilminster to be better supported. It's 40-years ago this week since a Lynx helicopter built in Yeovil set a new World Helicopter Speed Record... and more
Tuesday 11th August

Wessex Water says a hosepipe ban is possible if customers fail to cut their water usage. A record number of illegal dog fights were reported in Somerset last year. Yeovil Town's Mason Obeng has won the traditional sack of potatoes, given to the player who scores Yeovil's first goal of the new season, as a lucky omen... and more
Monday 10th August

A local councillor claims anti-social behaviour is putting people off coming into Yeovil town centre. South-West Water has announced a hosepipe ban in the Chard area. Great Western Railway has apologised after a wheelchair user from Chard became stuck at one of its stations... and more
Friday 7th August

Chard's biggest employer, Numatic International, makers of the Henry vacuum cleaner, has announced job cuts. A new Neighbourhood Plan for Hatch Beauchamp has officially been adopted. Two historic artefacts taken from Glastonbury Abbey more than 70 years ago have been returned...and more
Thursday 6th August

A local man and convicted former neo-Nazi, selected by the Conservatives to stand in Crewkerne South in next year’s local elections for a seat on Somerset Council, has pulled out after a backlash against his candidacy. A charity that runs children's homes in Somerset is terminating its contract early following a critical report by Ofsted...and more
Wednesday 5th August

Avon and Somerset's Police and Crime Commissioner is backing the wider use of police drones in towns like Yeovil to help tackle crime. Visitor numbers at Somerset's tourist attractions are down by around sixty per cent so far this year. A gardening expert says it'll take much more than the occasional shower to revive Somerset's parched lawns, parks and open spaces...and more
Tuesday 4th August

A Somerset doctor is calling for better community eye care. People in Glastonbury and Street are benefiting from a new bus service to Castle Cary railway station. A sailor from South Petherton is celebrating after sailing around the world... and more