Wednesday 11th February

Wednesday, 11 February 2026 05:00

By Steve Haigh

Somerset Council has been told it can’t raise council tax by more than 5 percent. Businesses in Somerset are being warned to watch out for fake £20 notes. A Martock man has successfully completed a parachute-ski jump off the top of Mount Snowdon.

Somerset Council has been told it can’t raise council tax by more than 5 percent. The government had been asked to give Somerset Council permission to go above the 5 percent cap, but it has refused. Somerset Council had wanted to increase Council Tax by 11 percent and will now have to address how to continue funding core services, including libraries and roads. The Leader of the Conservative opposition group on Somerset Council, Councillor Diogo Rodrigues, has welcomed the government's decision. He says it has prevented a potential annual increase of more than £200 in council tax for the average household in Somerset.

Businesses in Somerset are being warned to watch out for fake £20 notes. Police say counterfeit £20 notes were used to pay for transactions at a filling station on Priory Bridge Road in Taunton on January 29th and a shop on East Reach in the town on March 5th.

CCTV footage has been issued after a woman stole £2,000 worth of goods from the Boots store at Babylon Hill near Yeovil. It happened at around 3:30pm on Sunday, February 1st, with beauty products and baby clothes being taken. Images of the woman can be viewed on the Dorset Police website. If you can help identify the woman you’re asked to please call the non-emergency number 101.

The M5 will be closed in both directions between junctions 25 at Taunton and 27 at Tiverton on several nights this month. It's to allow work to be carried out to alleviate flooding on the motorway. From Saturday, February 14 to Sunday, February 15th the M5 will be shut southbound between junctions 25 and 27 from 9pm to 6am. And then again from Thursday, February 19th to Monday, February 23rd northbound between junctions 25 and 27 from 9pm to 6am.

A Martock man has successfully completed a parachute-ski jump off Mount Snowdon in North Wales. Tim Howell, who has been BASE jumping for 15 years, claims he’s the first to perform a parachute-ski jump from the top of the 1100 meter high Mount Snowdon.

More from News

Tuesday 10th February

Eye operations in Somerset have been cancelled, due to a private company running out of NHS funding to provide the surgery. A local MP is calling for the permanent installation of pumps on the Somerset Levels to reduce the flood risk. A £3 million pound project has begun to refurbish the grand organ at Wells Cathedral... and more
Monday 9th February

Multiple flood alerts and warnings remain in place across South Somerset following the weekend’s heavy rainfall. Work starts today repairing a sinkhole on Station Road in Castle Cary. A business in Crewkerne is closing after 50-years trading in the town... and more
Friday 6th September

Leonardo has announced a major deal to build helicopters in India. Campaigners trying to set up a new bus link to Castle Cary railway station from Glastonbury say they need 150 thousand pounds of council money. A community event is being held in Chard for charities and service providers to showcase their activities.... and more
Thursday 5th February

The NHS in Somerset is the first in the country to trial an online self-referral service for breast cancer. The MET office has confirmed that January was the wettest in Somerset since 2014. The MET office has confirmed that January was the wettest in Somerset since 2014... and more
Wednesday 4th February

Somerset Council is asking the government for extra funds to pay for the damage caused by Storm Chandra. There’s been a setback to the campaign to reopen Chinnock Hollow. The Telegraph newspaper has named the Barrington Boar at Barrington in a list of the top 50 best pubs in the UK... and more
Tuesday 3rd February

Five flood warnings remain in place in Somerset covering the rivers Parrett, Yeo, Northmoor and Saltmoor. Somerset Council says it has no plans to demolish a derelict listed building near Chard Leisure Centre. A Yeovil farm shop has been honoured at a national awards ceremony... and more
Monday 2nd February

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
Friday 30th January

Data from the weather centre at RNAS Yeovilton shows rainfall in Somerset was almost double the average for January. A disabled man is taking Somerset Council to the High Court, claiming its council tax reduction scheme is discriminatory. Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard is seeking urgent support to replenish its stocks of hay... and more