Local News Thursday 13th October

Thursday, 13 October 2022 06:00

The future of Chinnock Hollow was discussed at a packed public meeting held in East Chinnock last night. A ban on street drinking and begging in Yeovil town centre is being extended to October 2025. Villagers living around Long Sutton have won their long-running fight to stop a local quarry from re-opening. A Yeovil man who trains dogs to behave better has been nominated for a national award for his outstanding work and a member of the Royal family is on an official visit at RNAS Yeovilton today.

The future of Chinnock Hollow, the road linking East Chinnock with Odcombe that’s been shut for the past 20 months due to landslip, was discussed at a packed public meeting held in East Chinnock last night. Local residents were told that Somerset County Council is considering permanently closing the road due to the expense of making it safe. But local councillor, Ross Aitken, has called of the road to be re-opened in its current state and for no more money to spend on geotechnical surveys.

A ban on street drinking and begging in Yeovil town centre is being extended to October 2025. Yeovil town centre is the subject of two public space protection orders, giving the police and local authority powers to stop people from drinking in public and begging. Now, the by-law is to run for a further three years in a bid to tackle the ongoing problem of anti-social behaviour with anyone violating the by-law served with a warning letter or fixed penalty notice for £100.

Villagers living around Long Sutton have won their long-running fight to stop a local quarry from re-opening. Quarry owners, Henry Ford, had applied for planning permission to re-start mining at the former Batts Lane Quarry with the intention of extracting 30,000 tonnes of stone over the next fifteen years. Somerset County Council had twice rejected the planning application and now their decision has been upheld by the Planning Inspectorate following an appeal hearing.

A Yeovil man who trains dogs to behave better has been nominated for a national award for his outstanding work. Max Randall, known to his friends as the dog whisperer, set up MK9 Plus, an online video platform aimed at helping owners gain a better understanding of their dog’s mental health, has won a place in the finals of the Pet Industry Federation Awards for 2022.

A member of the Royal family is on an official visit at RNAS Yeovilton today. The visit is marking the commissioning of the Royal Naval Reserve Air Branch as HMS Pegasus.

More from News

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