Local News Thursday 9th December

Thursday, 9 December 2021 06:00

TSB is closing its Yeovil branch. The bank, on the corner of High Street and King George Street, will shut on April 12th next year. The County Council has blamed a lack of funding at Somerset’s schools for pupil suspension rates being so high. Covid booster jabs are now on offer locally to people in their 40s. Somerset Waste Partnership is claiming success with its ‘Recycle More’ initiative and a shop in Chard has raised £1,000 for the League of Friends at Chard Hospital.

TSB is closing its Yeovil branch. The bank, on the corner of High Street and King George Street, will shut on April 12th next year. Yeovil is one of seventy TSB branches nationwide that are being closed. TSB says with people banking online, the number of customers visiting their banks has fallen dramatically.

The County Council has blamed a lack of funding at Somerset’s schools for pupil suspension rates being so high. It follows figures from Ofsted that show pupil suspensions at Somerset’s schools are nearly double the national average.

Covid booster jabs are now on offer locally to people in their 40s. The move is aimed at slowing the spread of the Omicron variant and getting as many people as possible vaccinated by the end of January. Meanwhile, a dedicated Covid Helpline in Somerset, set up as a single point of contact at the start of the pandemic, has now taken more than 17,000 calls. The phone number for Somerset Coronavirus Helpline is 0300 790 6275.

Somerset Waste Partnership is claiming success with its ‘Recycle More’ initiative. It says that since the launch of the blue bag collection scheme in October last year, 5,600 tonnes of additional waste has been sent for recycling, including 1,000 extra tonnes of plastic.

A shop in Chard has raised £1,000 for the League of Friends at Chard Hospital. The Original Factory Shop on Great Western Road raised the money through selling charity Christmas cards and hosting a charity bingo night.

More from News

Tuesday 15th September

Police investigating an attack on a shop worker in Yeovil have released CCTV images of a man and woman they want to speak to. Farmers in Somerset are being warned to expect more cases of bluetongue. Ilminster Carnival Committee has announced the cancellation of this year's Children's Carnival due to a lack of entries... and more
Monday 14th September

Two new mobile NHS breast screening units have taken to the road in Somerset. More than 700 new homes are to be built alongside the M5 in Bridgwater. Dawes Twineworks in West Coker is one of several venues open to the public for free this month... and more
Friday 11th September

It’s going to cost more to park in Chard. Police have issued an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with two burglaries in Yeovil. Somerset Cricket Club is planning to stage performances by some of the world's biggest artistes at their Taunton ground... and more
Thursday 10th September

Work has begun building a new multi-million-pound David Lloyd leisure centre in Yeovil. NHS Somerset says a new system to handle emergency stroke care will lead to "better outcomes" for patients. Tickets for next year’s Glastonbury Festival will go on sale in October...and more
Wednesday 9th September

Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to following an assault in Yeovil. Businesses in Taunton say they're worried that planned changes to parking rules could put people off visiting the town. The Red Arrows will take to the skies near the Somerset border in a one-off display later this week... and more
Tuesday 8th September

Police in Avon and Somerset say they’re dealing with a big increase in reports of cloned vehicle fraud. A new video system designed to speed up stroke care has been launched in Somerset. Pilgrims are walking through Somerset this week to mark eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi... and more
Monday 7th September

Avon and Somerset Police are warning about a new scam involving criminals posing as police officers. Flu vaccinations are now available on the NHS ahead of the winter. Liverpool comedian John Bishop has cancelled his show in Taunton later this week after breaking his ankle... and more
Friday 4th September

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a vehicle near Shepton Mallet. New taxi charges come into force in Somerset later this month. The fire service is treating as accidental a blaze at a flat in Yeovil town centre... and more