Monday 2nd February

Monday, 2 February 2026 05:00

By Steve Haigh

The Met Office has issued a warning of more heavy rain for Somerset. A survey by Somerset Council shows nearly two-thirds of households would be happy to pay more in council tax. Yeovil Town Council is offering free allotment spaces to support people’s wellbeing... and more

The Met Office has issued a warning of more heavy rain for Somerset from midday today to 9 am tomorrow. They say between 10 and 20 mm of rain could fall later today and overnight causing further flooding in places like Chard, Ilminster and Yeovil.

A survey by Somerset Council shows nearly two-thirds of households would be happy to pay more council tax to prevent further cuts in public services. The consultation, held in December, asked people how much additional council tax they would be willing to pay. Of the 1,400 people who responsed, 62 per cent said they’d support a council tax rise, with 21 per cent favouring an increase of 4.99 per, and 15 per cent supporting a larger rise. 36 per cent said council tax bills should not rise at all, and 2 per cent called for bills to be reduced. Council Leader, Bill Revans, says whatever the level of increase in council tax in Somerset, it will be kept in line with the national and regional average.

Changes are being made to waste collections at flats and other communal accommodation in Somerset. 13,000 households are involved, with people living in flats and communal accommodation able to recycle plastic bottles, cans, foil and aerosols, glass bottles and jars, cartons, food waste and plastic bags and wrappers. The new collection service begins at the end of March.

Yeovil Town Council is offering allotment space at no charge in a scheme aimed at supporting people’s wellbeing. The Town Council operates 300 allotment plots on 11 sites and says it will give free spaces to community groups, beginner gardeners and underrepresented residents. The scheme, called Allotments for All, runs on a trial basis to September this year.

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Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more