Wednesday 4th March

Wednesday, 4 March 2026 05:00

By Steve Haigh

Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. A flat in Wincanton has been badly damaged in a fire. A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard... and more

Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. Lib Dem Council Leader, Councillor Bill Revans says frontline services will be protected but that the savings are essential to avoid effective bankruptcy. Members of Somerset Council meet today to vote on spending plans for the new financial year, including a five percent rise in council tax bills from April.

A flat in Wincanton has been badly damaged in a fire with damaged caused to three other nearby flats. The fire service was called to the property in the early hours of Tuesday following reports of flames coming from the flat. No was injured and the cause of the blaze is under investigation.

The number of councillors on Somerset Council is to be cut by 14. The current figure of 110 councillors will reduce to 96. The Local Government Boundary Commission has recommended the change with the creation of ninety smaller divisions, most of which will have a single councillor.

A botanical artist from Somerset has had her work featured on a set of 10 stamps celebrating the beauty of roses. Marie Burke from Glastonbury designed the stamps by visiting local gardens for inspiration, including the Bishop's Palace in Wells.

Castle Cary Museum is appealing for new volunteers. The museum which tells the story of the town and includes a collection of valuable local artefacts, reopens for a new season on Saturday, March 28th.

A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard. The mental health charity, Watch, which has already raised £14,000, says the minibus is needed to transport clients to outdoor activities, including to nature recovery projects at farms on the Blackdown Hills.

More from News

Tuesday 3rd March

A woman from Ilminster has been jointly charged with another woman after a man’s body was found inside a car in Cornwall. Somerset businesses, involved in the supply chain for Leonardo, have welcomed the news that the Leonardo factory in Yeovil is to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Plans have been submitted to build thirty-two homes in Milborne Port... and more
Monday 2nd March

The Leonardo factory in Yeovil has won a multi-million pound contract to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. A doctor, who previously worked at Yeovil Hospital, has appeared in court charged with illegally accessing NHS computers. A new Construction Innovation Centre has opened at Yeovil College... and more
Friday 27th February

The CEO of Leonardo has suggested the UK government could make an announcement immindently about ordering new medium lift helicopters to be built in Yeovil. A family run hardware business in Yeovil has gone into administration. The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset has been named the new patron of Somerset Chamber of Commerce... and more
Thursday 26th February

Workers at Leonardo in Yeovil have been to Downing Street to hand-in a petition calling on the government to back British jobs. The decision to grant planning permission to upgrade Yeovil's Octagon Theatre has been enthusiastically welcomed by staff who work there. The search is on to find a defibrillator that has gone missing in Chard... and more
Wednesday 25th February

Plans have been passed to carry out a £15 million upgrade of Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre. A new medical unit providing NHS and private treatments has opened in Shepton Mallet. Manor Court Community Primary School in Chard is celebrating after receiving a Gold Artsmark for excellence in arts and cultural education...and more
Tuesday 24th February

First Bus has announced changes to bus timetables on routes across Somerset. A Somerset drone company is celebrating getting through the audition round of ITV’s Britain's Got Talent. A public footpath in South Somerset is set to remain closed for up to two years... and more
Monday 23rd February

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is warning of a scaling back of jobs at the Leonardo helicopter factory in Yeovil. Work is underway on the multi-million-pound refurbishment of Yeovil police station. The A361 across the Somerset Levels has reopened... and more
Friday 20th February

10,000 incidents of potholes on Somerset’s roads have been reported to Somerset Council in the past four weeks. The Met Office is warning of more unsettled weather into March for Somerset. The Crowshute link in Chard will close for eight nights next month for road repairs... and more