Monday 13th May

    Health inspectors have criticised Somerset's maternity services, including those at Yeovil Hospital. Somerset Council says re-opening Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre in its original form could cost up to £200,000 if a multi-million-pound upgrade of the building falls through. A film made by a Yeovil man on a budget of just five thousand pounds was screened at the prestigious British Independent Film Festival...and more.

    Health inspectors have criticised Somerset's maternity services for having too few staff and not enough equipment to look after mothers and their newborn babies. The Care Quality Commission carried out inspections at three Somerset hospitals in November 2023, rating Yeovil Hospital’s maternity services as 'inadequate'. The Yeovil unit was found to have inadequate infection controls, and not always enough medical staff to keep people safe. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust says improvements have been made since the inspections were carried out, and that further enhancements are being made.

    Somerset Council says re-opening Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre in its original form could cost up to £200,000 if a multi-million-pound building upgrade falls through. The Council plans to spend £15 million improving the auditorium, revamping the front-of-house and catering facilities, introducing better dressing rooms, and building a fly tower to expand the range of productions staged at the Octagon. However, the work depends on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport agreeing to a grant of £10 million being spent on the scaled-down project. Yeovil Town Council are in talks to take over the running of the Octagon Theatre and will give £3.75 million to the project, with the remaining £1.25 million sourced from external grants.

    A woman has been charged with murder following the death of a man in Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury. Christine Kekkonen, aged 36, of Dunford Terrace, was arrested last Thursday. The victim has been named as 41-year-old Henri Kekkonen.

    The enquiry office at Chard Police Station will temporarily close at the end of the month for improvements to be carried out to the building. The refurbishments include installing new windows, doors and roofing, solar panels, an air source heat pump, and two EV charging points. Avon and Somerset Police say while the Chard office is closed, people needing help should use Yeovil or Taunton police stations.

    A film made by a Yeovil man on a budget of just five thousand pounds has been screened at the British Museum in London. ‘Blue’ tells the story of a father and son struggling to make a living from fishing. The film made by David Smith, a lecturer in the media department at Yeovil College was shown as part of the prestigious British Independent Film Festival held at the weekend. 

    More from News

    • Wednesday 2nd April

      Leonardo Helicopters has won a £165 million repair and maintenance contract that will secure 200 jobs at the Yeovil factory. Police are searching for a thief who stole a safe containing £1500 in cash from a pub in Ilminster. Alzheimer's UK says the number of people with dementia in Somerset is massively under-recorded. A team of archaeologists and volunteers has started work reconstructing an Iron Age roundhouse near Glastonbury... and more.

    • Tuesday 1st April

      Police are investigating the cause of a suspicious fire at the former Oscar Mayer site in Chard. Yeovil Town owner, Martin Hellier, has stepped down as club chairman. According to the website, Property Solvers, Martock has the slowest housing market in Somerset. A new Head Teacher has been appointed to run Sexeys School in Bruton...and more

    • Monday 31st March

      Yeovil Town owner Martin Hellier has announced his intention to put the club up for sale. Somerset Chamber of Commerce says small businesses are bracing themselves for a challenging year. The Children's Hospice South West founder, Eddie Farwell, has died. Tintinhull Gardens near Yeovil have reopened for the new season...and more

    • Friday 28th March

      First Bus has invested £12 million in buying 26 electric buses to run on routes in Somerset. Approval has been given to build 18 new homes in South Petherton. Somerset’s recycling sites, including Yeovil, will revert to their spring opening times next week. This year’s Somerset Drama Festival has been won by Ilminster Entertainments Society...and more.

    • Thursday 27th March

      Yeovil MP Adam Dance has criticised the Chancellor for not reforming business rates in her Spring Statement. Fifteen schools in Somerset are to be equipped with new facilities for children with special educational needs. A charity in Yeovil is appealing for donations of new underwear to give to people who are homeless...and more

    • Wednesday 26th March

      The remains of a Roman settlement have been discovered near Langport. Chard Town Council has issued a formal apology over some of its recent conduct. Visitors to Ham Hill Country Park are being asked to tread carefully and keep pets on leads to protect breeding skylarks nesting at ground-level...and more

    • Tuesday 25th March

      A teenage boy has been arrested following an incident in Castle Cary. Somerset Council has announced “wide-ranging improvements” to bus services. Work has started upgrading a doctor’s surgery in Chard. The finalists have been announced for this year’s Somerset Business Awards...and more

    • Monday 24th March

      Numatic International Ltd in Chard has been given planning permission to build a giant solar farm off the A30 Crewkerne Road. The RSPCA says incidents of dropped litter impacting the lives of animals in Somerset is a growing problem. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is marking 25 years of saving lives across the two counties...and more

    Today's Weather

    • Yeovil

      Sunny

      High: 17°C | Low: 6°C

    • Chard

      Sunny

      High: 16°C | Low: 6°C

    • Crewkerne

      Sunny

      High: 16°C | Low: 6°C

    • Somerton

      Sunny

      High: 17°C | Low: 7°C

    • Wincanton

      Sunny

      High: 16°C | Low: 6°C

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