The Lib Dem Leader of Somerset Council, Councillor Bill Revans
The Liberal Democrat Leader of Somerset Council, Councillor Bill Revans, says they had no choice but to ask the government to allow them to lift the 5 percent cap on raising Council Tax. Two teenagers have been released on bail following the stabbing in Yeovil. More than six thousand pounds has been awarded to local groups by Chard Carnival Committee...and more.
The Liberal Democrat Leader of Somerset Council, Councillor Bill Revans, says they had no choice but to ask the government to allow them to lift the 5 percent cap on raising Council Tax. The Council is only meant to raise the Council Tax by 5 percent. But to help fill a gap of 66 million pounds in its budget, the government has given Somerset Council permission to increase the Council Tax by seven-and-a-half per cent, beginning from April.
Two teenagers have been released on bail following the stabbing of two people in Yeovil. The teenagers, one aged 15 and the other 16, were arrested following the incident in Raglan Terrace in Yeovil last Wednesday, in which a teenager and a man in his 50s sustained stab wounds. Police say the 15-year-old was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent and affray, while the 16-year-old was arrested on suspicion of affray and being in possession of a bladed article in a public place. Both have been released on conditional bail. Police are asking that anyone who witnessed the incident or has door-cam footage to please call the non-emergency number 101.
More than six thousand pounds has been awarded to local groups by Chard Carnival Committee. The recipients of the money, raised at last year’s Chard Carnival and the Christmas Parade, include Chard Museum, Ilminster Majorettes, and Crewkerne Scouts.
Police are appealing for witnesses to an assault near Street. It happened on Friday, January 17th at around 5.20 pm in Meadow Lane in Walton when a vehicle was stopped by Police. A male passenger in the vehicle got out and made off on foot, chased by a police officer. After catching up with the man in Broughton Close, the officer was struck in the face by the man. Two other men in the vehicle were arrested on suspicion of being concerned with the supply of class-A drugs. If you witnessed the incident or have dash-cam footage you’re asked to call the non-emergency number 101.
Windmill Hill Lane in Ashill near Ilminster is closed to traffic today for Wessex Internet to carry out fibre cabling work.
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.
A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more
A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more
Somerset Prostate Cancer Support Group says a decision not to introduce mass screening for prostate cancer is the wrong one. A Martock woman has been banned from driving for 28 months. Somerset Council is marking Volunteers’ Week by thanking the volunteers who help deliver council services... and more
People in Somerset with Football Banning Orders are being reminded they must surrender their passports by the end of today ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup tournament. A road in Yeovil will close for nine days later this week. Farmers from Somerset were among the winners of this year's ITV Britain's Got Talent final...and more
South Western Ambulance Service is struggling to cope after a surge in 999 calls during the hot weather. Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke says a shortage of rental homes is making it harder for rural employers to attract workers. The National Trust is warning that changing weather patterns are making it difficult to maintain the Cerne Abbas Giant... and more
People are being asked to take extra care in parks and open spaces as high temperatures and dry conditions increase the risk of fire. Plans to build hundreds of new homes in Yeovil can now go ahead after a High Court challenge by Mudford Parish Council was dismissed. A Somerset bakery chain has sparked a reaction after it stopped making iced buns... and more