Local News Wednesday 4th January

Wednesday, 4 January 2023 06:00

Councillors at South Somerset District Council meet tomorrow to decide on providing further funding to the Yeovil Refresh Project. A unit in Crewkerne for children who struggle with mainstream schooling is being praised for reducing school exclusions. A Somerton man’s been jailed for two years for attacking his wife with a knife. NFU Mutual in Yeovil has made a donation of £6,000 to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. Sherborne Golf Club has been given planning permission to extend its clubhouse...and more.

Councillors at South Somerset District Council meet tomorrow to decide on providing further funding to the Yeovil Refresh Project. Yeovil Refresh, aimed at improving the look of Yeovil town centre, is already £4 million over budget with two years of work still to be completed. Now, councillors are being asked to provide a further £2 million to cover unplanned works, pushing up the budget for the project to £24.1 million.

A unit in Crewkerne for children who struggle with mainstream schooling is being praised for reducing school exclusions. The Apex Centre uses therapy techniques like animal therapy, forestry and cooking to teach children. It’s run by the Bridgwater and Taunton College Trust which say exclusions at its seven primary and secondary schools are down by 30%.

A Somerton man’s been jailed for two years for attacking his wife with a knife. Paul Green of Pearmain Road pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm when he appeared at Taunton Crown Court.

A Bruton man has been recognized in the New Year's Honours. John Bishton has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the preservation of historic buildings in Bruton.

NFU Mutual in Yeovil has made a donation of £6,000 to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. The money will go towards the two million pounds the air ambulance needs to raise every year to keep its helicopter flying.

Sherborne Golf Club has been given planning permission to extend its clubhouse. The club says the single-storey flat roof extension will allow it to provide a new function room and extend the patio area.

New homes for birds and bats have been provided at Yeovil Recreational Centre. Staff at the centre off Mudford Road have built bird and bat nesting boxes using recycled pallet boxes and positioned them around the site to encourage more birds and bats to nest in the area.

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Thursday 29th January

Somerset Council has warned that more homes are likely to flood with further heavy rain forecast to end the week. Discount retailer, The Original Factory Shop, which has an outlet in Crewkerne, has gone into administration. A Barista at Costa Coffee in Ilminster has won a place in the finals of a national competition...and more
Wednesday 28th January

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has announced plans to develop a new operational base on the Leonardo airfield in Yeovil. Several people have been rescued from their homes in Ilminster due to flooding. An £800,000 project is underway to restore two staircases at Montecute House...and more
Tuesday 27th January

Last week was the wettest seven-day period in Somerset for twelve years. NHS Somerset says it’s working towards making access to dental care fairer for all. A scout leader in Somerset has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Young People...and more
Monday 26th January

A new group has been formed to challenge plans to build 100 new homes in Keinton Mandeville. Bridgwater Town Council has voted to increase its share of the Council Tax by 5%. Organisers of Yeovil in Bloom are appealing for young people to get involved in this year’s competition...and more
Friday 23rd January

New data shows that South Western Ambulance is one of the worst-performing ambulance trusts in England. Plans to introduce improved accessibility at Yeovil Junction station have moved a step closer. A community centre in Street is providing vulnerable people with a warm, safe place to meet...and more.
Thursday 22nd January

A new NHS diagnostic centre has opened in Yeovil. The go-ahead has been given to build a replacement school for Milford Junior School in Yeovil. A new 500-bed hotel-style campus is being planned to accommodate workers at the new Agratas car battery factory near Bridgwater...and more
Wednesday 21st January

Councillors have approved controversial plans to build four large carnival club sheds near Ilminster. Somerset Council says there's an increasing gap between the cost of education and the amount the government provides to run local schools. The Bridgwater Tidal Barrier, aimed at protecting homes and businesses from flooding, has been reduced in size...and more
Tuesday 20th January

Citizens Advice says thousands of people in Somerset have lost some or all of their council tax discount. The UK's first autonomous full-size helicopter, manufactured by Leonardo in Yeovil, has successfully completed its maiden flight. A new pharmacy has opened in Wincanton...and more