Local News Tuesday 9th March

Tuesday, 9 March 2021 07:30

Somerset County Council says a final decision on changes to the school system in Ilminster and Crewkerne will be made at a meeting on March 17th. Great Western Railway, that run trains through Castle Cary, is increasing services this week. Brympton Parish Council is asking for a reduced speed limit on Thorne Lane in Yeovil....and more.

Somerset County Council says a final decision on changes to the school system in Ilminster and Crewkerne will be made at a meeting on March 17th. The Council plans to scrap the current three-tier school system, comprising infant, middle and upper schools and replace this with a flatter two-tier system of primary and secondary schools. Despite strong opposition from parents, the Council says a two-tier structure is necessary due to falling pupil numbers in the area.

Great Western Railway, that run trains through Castle Cary, is increasing services this week as schools and colleges reopen fully. The timetable was reduced when a third national lockdown was introduced in January but is now back to ‘near normal’.

Brympton Parish Council is asking for a reduced speed limit on Thorne Lane in Yeovil. It claims the road has become more dangerous with increased numbers of people using it for exercise during the pandemic. (Story courtesy of Yeovil Press).

Fresh calls have been made for the government to help resolve an issue that's left plans for more than 11,000 new homes in Somerset on hold. District councils have delayed more than 750 planning applications because of concerns over water pollution on the Somerset Levels and Moors.

An Ilminster couple who next month celebrate 60 years of marriage say the secret to a successful marriage is ‘give and take’ and laughter. John and Norah Robson, of Summerlands Drive, were married on April 1st 1961 and are well known for their work with the Royal British Legion and the Army Cadet Force in Ilminster.

An appeal to build a pre-school facility at Hinton St George Primary School has so far raised £25,000. The building will be constructed using two shipping containers. A further £50,000 in donations is needed for the project. (Story courtesy of Lopen Eye community magazine).

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Thursday 1st May

There’s been a call for the Somerset Levels to be designated a National Landscape. A Yeovil man has raised £2,000 for a new school minibus at Fairmead School in Yeovil by running the London Marathon. Exmoor Ales, which provides cask ales across the region and beyond, is closing its Somerset brewery and moving the business to Surrey...and more.
Wednesday 30th April

The long-awaited refurbishment of Yeovil police station is finally to get underway this summer. Plans have been approved to build 185 new homes off Bunford Lane in Yeovil. Police have arrested three men in Yeovil for being involved in the supply of Class A drugs. A Somerset jockey has been named Champion Conditional Jockey of 2025...and more.
Tuesday 29th April

New figures have shown that registering as a new patient with an NHS dentist in Somerset is still just as difficult as it was six months ago. The go-ahead has been given to build 160 new houses on Station Road in Castle Cary. A sailor from South Petherton has been chosen to lead a team in the round-the-world Clipper Race...and more.
Monday 28th April

Somerset Council is being criticised for taking too long to re-open Yeovil's Octagon Theatre. The Liberal Democrats have won a seat on Chard Town Council by one vote. Dates have been announced for this year’s illuminated carnival processions in South Somerset...and more.
Friday 25th April

Police are investigating the theft of a motorbike in Ilminster. Tributes have been paid to the former Yeovil Town player-manager, Cecil Irwin, who has died aged 83. Town criers from across the South West will be in Yeovil tomorrow competing for the loudest voice in the Yeovil Town Crier Competition 2025...and more
Thursday 24th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident in which a child was struck by a car in Yeovil. This week, a planning inquiry is being held into plans to turn a Somerset shopping centre into a retirement complex. A Somerset woman is planning to walk the 70-miles of Hadrian's Wall to mark her 90th birthday...and more.
Wednesday 23rd April

Tourism bosses in Somerset say they feel confident the County will have a good summer for visitors this year. A group representing care providers in Somerset is warning that some residential homes are at risk of going out of business due to rising costs. A Somerset animal charity has taken into care, three orphaned badger cubs...and more.
Tuesday 22nd April

The Care Quality Commission has given two GP practices in Yeovil a 'good' overall rating. According to insurers, AXA, thefts at commercial premises in Somerset are on the rise. Bus users in Somerset could see changes to the frequency of services when the new West of England mayor takes office. Martock is to host its first Pride event in June...and more.