Average council tax bills in Somerset are set to rise by £78 a year when the new Somerset unitary council comes into being, replacing the county council and four district councils in April. Night-time buses are expected to start running in Somerset from Monday, January 23rd. A famous Somerset drink has been featured in the new Sam Mendes film Empire of Light...and more.
Average council tax bills in Somerset are set to rise by £78 a year when the new Somerset unitary council comes into being, replacing the county council and four district councils in April. A number of major capital projects, like the planned regeneration of Wincanton town centre, have been put on hold to help cut spending at the new council by £40 million a year.
Night-time buses are expected to start running in Somerset from Monday, January 23rd. A late bus will operate between Taunton and Chard up to 10.30 pm Monday to Saturday. The routes, that are being subsidised by Somerset County Council, are aimed at getting more people to use public transport.
A famous Somerset drink has been featured in the new Sam Mendes film Empire of Light. Babycham, produced by the Showerings family in Shepton Mallet, makes an appearance in the movie, starring Olivia Coleman and Colin Firth, and set in the 1980s when Babycham was at its most popular.
Parish councils along the A358 Ilminster to Taunton road are hoping their concerns will be taken into account during the period of the delay involving a planning application to turn the road into a dual carriageway. National Highways has decided to look again at the impact the project will have on the environment and not submit the planning application for widening the road until the review has been completed. Chairman of West Hatch parish council, Councillor Keith Read claims that dualing the A358 will be highly detrimental to the local environment.
More than 4,500 people have expressed interest in joining a new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne. Somerset Council says a long-term solution is needed to make Hendford Hill in Yeovil fully safe for motorists. A Somerset man has won first prize at the World Marmalade Awards... and more
Somerset Council says Hendford Hill in Yeovil should be fully reopened to traffic by the end of May. Plans have been approved to build 40 new homes in Crewkerne. A huge pile of illegally dumped rubbish in Glastonbury has been cleared... and more
Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision at Rimpton. A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in South Petherton. Former Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson has been retained as first-team manager of Taunton Town for next season... and more
A former school in Sherborne has been badly damaged by fire. A care home in Yeovil has been rated outstanding. ublic spaces in West Coker owned by Somerset Council are being handed over to the parish council. Mendip Golf Club has presented a cheque for £12,000 to Mind in Somerset... and more
Plans have been submitted to turn a property on Preston Road in Yeovil into a House in Multiple Occupation. Yeovil’s Marlie Packer has been recalled to the England Red Roses starting line-up for tomorrow’s Women’s Six Nations game against Wales. Three sisters from Yeovil will be running the London Marathon this weekend in support of Guide Dogs UK... and more
Helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton have completed six weeks of sorties, protecting Cyprus from attacks by Iran. People in Somerset who use domestic heating oil are calling on the government to regulate the oil supply industry. Patients are being invited to register at a new NHS dentist in Crewkerne... and more
Expectant mothers are using Yeovil Hospital once again to give birth following the reopening of the maternity unit. A Yeovil man has been jailed for four years for committing sexual offences against two young girls. Plans have been approved to convert a pub in Milborne Port into housing... and more
NHS Somerset has delayed closing the hyper-acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. A former Avon and Somerset Police officer has been jailed for making indecent images of children. A Somerset man has been fined after pleading guilty to hunting a wild animal with dogs... and more