Local News Thursday 16th September

Thursday, 16 September 2021 06:00

Former Leader of South Somerset District Council, Rick Pallister, has been giving evidence at his trial at Taunton Crown Court. Children aged 12-to-15 in Somerset are to be offered a coronavirus vaccine starting from next week. ASDA has submitted a planning application to redevelop part of their Yeovil store. Two men have appeared in court in connection with the supply of class A drugs in Yeovil...and more.

Former Leader of South Somerset District Council, Rick Pallister, has been giving evidence at his trial at Taunton Crown Court. Mr. Pallister, who denies 36 charges of alleged historic indecent assault and indecency with a child told the court he believed all contact with the alleged victims was "entirely consensual". He said he had no memory of some of the incidents described by the complainants taking place, and said several more did not take place "as described". He also flatly denied making any inappropriate contact with any of the complainants while they were under the age of 16. The case continues. (Story courtesy of Somerset Live).

Children aged 12-to-15 in Somerset are to be offered a coronavirus vaccine starting from next week. They will need the consent of their parents to receive the jab, which will be given at school. Pupils will also be able to receive a flu vaccine, in the form of a nasal spray, at the same time.

ASDA has submitted a planning application to redevelop part of their Yeovil store. The supermarket chain wants to add a new click and collect pod and drive-thru facility to the site on Preston Road. ASDA maintains the proposed changes would "have minimal impact on the visual effect of the building and on the scale of the site”. A decision on the application will now be made by South Somerset District Council.

Two men have appeared in court in connection with the supply of class A drugs in Yeovil. Lemel Plomer-Roberts from South Norwood in London and Shane Ricketts from Croydon are charged with conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. They were remanded in custody until their next court hearing at Taunton Crown Court on October 11th.

Events are taking place in Chard this week to celebrate the town’s proud history. ‘Heritage Week Chard’ includes an event about the town during the Second World War and the history of Chard Reservoir.

More from News

Monday 16th June

The new owner of Yeovil Town says he’s in talks with Somerset Council about buying back Huish Park. Water levels at some of Somerset’s reservoirs are below what they should be for this time of year. A Chard woman has been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours... and more.
Friday 13th June

Police are appealing for witnesses to a road traffic accident near Chard, which left one person with life-threatening injuries. Texas Rocks in Middle Street, Yeovil, has closed temporarily following a significant fire. A Yeovil dental hygienist has been named as a finalist in the Ms Great Britain competition...and more.
Thursday 12th June

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has criticised the Chancellor’s Spending Review for not delivering real change for Yeovil and South Somerset. The CEO of Leonardo UK states that they’re working towards closing the gender pay gap within the company. Yeovil Town is relocating its first-team training camp to Bristol... and more.
Wednesday 11th June

People in Somerset are being asked for their views on the state of the county’s roads and footpaths. A trial is being conducted at Yeovil Hospital to investigate whether administering shorter courses of antibiotics to patients can effectively treat sepsis. Somerset Council says it has no plans to reopen a block of public toilets in Chard...and more.
Tuesday 10th June

A mother from Chard says schools need to do more to identify students with dyslexia. A fire in a van that caught alight at Stoke-sub-Hamdon is being treated as accidental. A former Yeovil-based police officer, who made it appear he was working when he wasn’t, has been barred from policing...and more
Monday 9th June

Somerset Council is giving £1.5m to Hill View Special School at Ash near Martock to prevent it from closing. Two men have been convicted of killing a Yeovil man they mistakenly believed to be a convicted paedophile. People across Somerset are being asked to make a note of any wildlife they see...and more
Friday 6th June

Community Speedwatch volunteers in Keinton Mandeville have stopped monitoring the local traffic because of online and verbal abuse. Redstart Primary School in Chard has been rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted. A care home resident in Glastonbury has raised more than one thousand pounds for Children's Hospice Southwest by knitting soft toys...and more.
Thursday 5th June

Yeovil MP Adam Dance says he’s been told the temporary closure of the maternity unit at Yeovil Hospital will not be made permanent. Firefighters have dealt with a fire on a coach carrying passengers at Vagg Hill in Yeovil. The authorities in Chile are holding a man who lives in Milborne Port after being found with class-A drugs in a suitcase...and more.