Thursday 4th December

Thursday, 4 December 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

The Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police says her force is doing all it can to reduce anti-social behaviour. Somerset Council has deferred a decision on introducing Sunday car parking charges. People living in deprived areas in Somerset are being fast-tracked for hospital treatment...and more

The Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police says her force is doing all it can to reduce anti-social behaviour. Speaking to BBC Radio Somerset, Sarah Crew acknowledged that police resources for dealing with anti-social behaviour were limited, but insisted her officers were making a difference.

Somerset Council has deferred a decision on introducing Sunday car parking charges. The Council was proposing to introduce charges for its car parks, which are currently free on Sundays, to ensure consistency across the county. But following a public consultation, in which a majority of people said they were against the proposal, the Council’s Climate and Place Scrutiny Committee has recommended that, for the moment, not implementing the charging policy.

People living in deprived areas in Somerset are being fast-tracked for elective hospital treatment following the introduction of a new scoring system. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust says patients who met specific criteria are being treated at Musgrove Park Hospital three to four months sooner than other patients. The Trust says the new scoring system will shortly be introduced at Yeovil Hospital to help reduce waiting times for surgery for specific patient categories.

Somerset Road Safety is asking drivers to make sure their cars are winter-ready. National Highways say that winter breakdowns on motorways and A-roads have risen by 21% over the last five years.

This week marks the 80th anniversary of the first JET aircraft landing on an aircraft carrier at sea. The record was achieved by Royal Navy test pilot, Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown, who flew a Sea Vampire onto the deck of HMS Ocean off the Dorset coast. The Sea Vampire is currently on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton.

More from News

Wednesday 3rd December

Fire crews have rescued the driver of a car that got stuck in floodwater near Ilminster. Avon and Somerset Police are urging people going out to celebrate this Christmas to book a taxi or use public transport. A woman from South Petherton has come top at the British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships...and more,
Tuesday 2nd December

A 33-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a serious assault in Wincanton. Fire crews have dealt with a house fire in the village of Pitney. Plans have been submitted to redevelop Bridgwater Docks into a cultural and tourist destination. Ilminster's annual Christmas tree festival has opened in the town...and more
Monday 1st December

New figures show that crime in the Avon and Somerset police area rose by 8% in the year to June. South Western Railway has restarted running hourly services through Sherborne, Yeovil and Crewkerne following months of disruption. Persimmon Homes South West has donated £1500 towards the running costs of Castle Cary Rugby Club...and more
Friday 28th November

Somerset Council has failed to stop 150 homes being built in Crewkerne. Posters of a drag act coming to Somerset, displayed in Shepton Mallet, have been vandalised. Avon and Somerset police are using proceeds from drug crime to fund community projects...and more,
Thursday 27th November

A new NHS dentist in Chard will start seeing its first patients next Tuesday. The go-ahead has been given to install five new lighting and CCTV columns on Milfield Road in Chard. Work is to start in January, replacing ageing traffic signals at the A39 junction with Clarks Village in Street...and more
Wednesday 26th November

Workers at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil, belonging to the Unite union, have accepted a new pay offer of 8% over two years. Yeovil Town has appointed a new first-team Manager. A new NHS dental practice is due to open in Chard next month...and more
Tuesday 25th November

Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, is calling on the Chancellor to deliver ‘real economic growth’ for Yeovil in her budget tomorrow. The government has given Yeovil College £2 million to upgrade its engineering facilities. A Chard-based charity has sent 7,000 boxes filled with Christmas gifts to Ukraine...and more.
Monday 24th November

A church leader has warned that “irrevocable damage” will be caused to town centres if Somerset Council starts charging for Sunday parking. Fifty new homes are to be built in Castle Cary following a successful planning appeal. A call has been made for a memorial to the victims who died in a plane crash on the Blackdown Hills 80 years ago...and more.