Thursday 21st November

Thursday, 21 November 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Bus campaigners are warning that government funding to improve Somerset’s bus network could be lost if Somerset Council goes bankrupt. GPs in Somerset are calling on the government to protect them from planned National Insurance tax rises for employers. Luxury handbag maker, Mulberry, is cutting dozens of jobs, including here in our locality...and more

Bus campaigners are warning that government funding of nearly seven million pounds to improve Somerset’s bus network could be lost if Somerset Council goes bankrupt. The authority is currently managing a financial crisis, making hundreds of staff redundant and cutting services. Peter Travis the co-chair of Somerset Bus Partnership, a voluntary group which supports the county's bus network welcomes the government's funding support but is concerned about Somerset Council’s financial position.

GPs in Somerset are calling on the government to protect them from planned National Insurance tax rises for employers, warning it could hit patient services. The Wessex Local Medical Committees, which represents GP practices in Somerset, has described the NI tax increases as being a "hammer blow".

Luxury handbag maker, Mulberry, is cutting dozens of jobs, including here in Somerset. It follows a 20 percent drop in sales in the first half of the year and plans for a major restructure of the business. The move comes a month after Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group ditched plans to takeover Mulberry.

The A303 westbound between the Cartgate roundabout and Prophets Lane will be shut from 7 pm until 6 am tomorrow for white-lining. Diversions will be in operation via the A3088, A30 and A356.

A one-day advice session is being held in Yeovil for anyone who has experienced, is currently experiencing, or may have concerns about domestic abuse. Organised by Somerset Council’s domestic abuse service, to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, it’s being held at Abbey Manor Business Centre on Preston Road, next Monday, November 25th.

More from News

Wednesday 17th June

Avon and Somerset Police say they'll be carrying out enhanced patrols for drink and drug driving during and after England's opening World Cup game tonight. Somerset Chamber of Commerce is warning that the conflict in Iran is having a serious impact on local businesses. A master thatcher based in Ilminster says the traditional craft of thatching is under threat because of a lack of training opportunities...and more
Tuesday 16th June

Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal two-vehicle crash on the A358 near Ilminster. A man from Norton-sub-Hamdon has appeared in court charged with drink driving. An original Mr Blobby costume from the former Blobbyland theme park at Cricket St Thomas has been put up for sale... and more
Monday 15th June

People in Somerset are being asked to take part in a new survey about alcohol use. Yeovil's MP Adam Dance will lead a debate in Parliament today on NHS dentistry. A Yeovil runner has been selected to represent England at a national endurance championship... and more
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.