Thursday 23rd January

Thursday, 23 January 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Yeovil Town Council has defended its decision to increase its share of the Council Tax by an average of £80. A man who drove an e-scooter in Yeovil while disqualified from driving has been jailed for six weeks. According to new data, the Yeovil driving test centre is the 12th easiest in the UK to pass a driving test...and more

Somerset's Town Councils have been defending big increases in their share of council tax bills. The increases, which come into force in April, range from as little as £4 in Minehead to £51 in Burnham and Highbridge, with one of the biggest hikes in Yeovil, where the Town Council is putting up its share of the Council Tax by an average of £80. Town Councils like Yeovil say the increases are necessary to pay for running services they've taken on from Somerset Council to avoid Somerset Council going bankrupt.

A man who drove an e-scooter in Yeovil while disqualified from driving has been jailed for six weeks. David Bailey, of no fixed address, appeared before local magistrates and was charged with theft from a Tesco Express. Bailey was also given six points on his licence but was let off paying for the stolen items due to his lack of means.

Somerset Council says it’ll be another two months before work starts properly demolishing buildings in Glovers Walk in Yeovil. The Council says work clearing the site is being concentrated at the moment on internal demolition, with hoarding put in place to make the area safe and access to the bus station from Middle Street closed off to the public.

There’s good news for anyone planning to take a driving test in Yeovil. According to new data, the Yeovil driving test centre is the 12th easiest in the UK to pass a test. Figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency for the final quarter of last year, show the average pass rate in Yeovil was 61 percent, compared to the national average pass rate of 48 percent. Dorchester Driving Test Centre was fourth on the list for having the highest pass rate.

A Somerset dental surgery has come top at the 2024 Loo of the Year Awards. Trust Dental Practice in Street won the Best Loo Award in the Healthcare sector for having the best loo nationally. Owner of Trust Dental, Doctor James Main, says the win is extra special as they are the first dental practice in the UK to win a Best Loo Award.

More from News

Wednesday 29th April

Somerset Council says Hendford Hill in Yeovil should be fully reopened to traffic by the end of May. Plans have been approved to build 40 new homes in Crewkerne. A huge pile of illegally dumped rubbish in Glastonbury has been cleared... and more
Tuesday 28th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision at Rimpton. A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in South Petherton. Former Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson has been retained as first-team manager of Taunton Town for next season... and more
Monday 27th April

A former school in Sherborne has been badly damaged by fire. A care home in Yeovil has been rated outstanding. ublic spaces in West Coker owned by Somerset Council are being handed over to the parish council. Mendip Golf Club has presented a cheque for £12,000 to Mind in Somerset... and more
Friday 24th April

Plans have been submitted to turn a property on Preston Road in Yeovil into a House in Multiple Occupation. Yeovil’s Marlie Packer has been recalled to the England Red Roses starting line-up for tomorrow’s Women’s Six Nations game against Wales. Three sisters from Yeovil will be running the London Marathon this weekend in support of Guide Dogs UK... and more
Thursday 23rd April

Helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton have completed six weeks of sorties, protecting Cyprus from attacks by Iran. People in Somerset who use domestic heating oil are calling on the government to regulate the oil supply industry. Patients are being invited to register at a new NHS dentist in Crewkerne... and more
Wednesday 22nd April

Expectant mothers are using Yeovil Hospital once again to give birth following the reopening of the maternity unit. A Yeovil man has been jailed for four years for committing sexual offences against two young girls. Plans have been approved to convert a pub in Milborne Port into housing... and more
Tuesday 21st April

NHS Somerset has delayed closing the hyper-acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. A former Avon and Somerset Police officer has been jailed for making indecent images of children. A Somerset man has been fined after pleading guilty to hunting a wild animal with dogs... and more
Monday 20th April

Nearly one hundred roads in Somerset will be surface dressed this summer to prevent further damage. Almost all children starting primary school in Somerset in September have been offered a place at one of their top three school choices. People in Somerset are being asked to record wild mammals in gardens and other green spaces over the summer... and more