Friday 20th September

Friday, 20 September 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

According to new data, the Environment Agency is attending fewer incidents in Somerset than before the pandemic. Leonardo Helicopters says winning a major share of £435 million in investment in Leonardo’s UK operations will secure hundreds of jobs in Yeovil. Latest figures show that Yeovil was the cheapest place to buy a home in Somerset over the last 12 months...and more

According to new data, the Environment Agency is attending fewer incidents in Somerset than before the pandemic. The figures show that there were 1,078 water pollution incidents in Somerset between 2018 and 2023, just 303 of which were visited immediately by Environment Agency staff. The Environment Agency says some incidents were handled remotely or by the emergency services.

Leonardo Helicopters says winning a major share of £435 million in investment in Leonardo’s UK operations will secure hundreds of jobs on the Yeovil site. The funding, to be used for research and development and new IT infrastructure, is being provided by Leonardo’s Italian parent company, and was announced by the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, during his visit to Italy earlier this week. £230 million of it will be spent at the Yeovil site.

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with drink driving. Alex Gullis of Plover Court was found to be more than three times over the drink drive limit when he hit another vehicle in Preston Road and failed a roadside breath test. Local magistrates adjourned the case until October 29 for reports to be prepared and imposed an interim-driving ban.

More parents are looking to move their children out of private schools and into state schools, according to Somerset Council. It says it's had an increase in enquiries since the Labour government announced that 20 percent VAT will be added to private school fees from next January.

Latest figures show that Yeovil was the cheapest place to buy a home in Somerset over the last 12 months. Homes in the BA21 postcode sold for an average of £224,645 in the year to July. Wedmore retained its position as the most expensive place to buy a property with the price of a house in postcode BS28 averaging £659,450. Hinton St George had the second highest house prices with properties in the TA17 postcode selling on average for £575,250.

Essential drainage work is taking place in Winsham next week with parts of Court Street and Back Street closed to traffic. The work starts on Monday, September 23rd and will last until Monday, October 21st with a traffic diversion in operation. The 96 bus service to Drimpton and Clapton through Winsham will not run during the road closure.

More from News

Friday 27th September

Bleed kits have been installed in Yeovil this week. Herne View Primary School has been awarded the Skills Builder Partnership Gold Award. Somerset's Trading Standards says there are new scams doing the rounds linked to parking charges... and more.
Thursday 26th September

A body has been found in the search for missing Michael Wheeler from Yeovil. The Met Office has issued another yellow rain warning for the region. Ilminster’s hopes for a banking hub has been raised... and more.
Wednesday 25th September

Five men have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a missing Yeovil man. The purchase of Glover’s Walk has been successfully completed by Somerset Council. A new ‘silent book club’ is coming to Chard next month. A special school is celebrating 20 years of being rated as Ofsted 'Outstanding'...and more.
Tuesday 24th September

Somerset doctors are urging us to look out for children with asthma as temperatures begin to drop. A local organisation is celebrating an award of nearly £20,000. A new traffic management system will affect drivers on the A303 this weekend... and more.
Monday 23rd September

Police are searching sites across South Somerset in an ongoing investigation into a missing man. Engineering work is taking place on local train services. Yeovil Town's Community Sports Trust have attempted a Somerset version of the Three Peaks Challenge...and more.
Thursday 19th September

Yeovil's MP Adam Dance has officially opened a new £30 million logistic hub at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil. Somerset Council says more parents are looking to move their children out of private schools and into state schools due to the addition of 20 percent VAT to private school fees. Star of TV’s Clarkson’s Farm, Kaleb Cooper, will be appearing at next month’s Yeovil Literary Festival...and more.
Wednesday 18th September

BT is reassuring customers in Somerset who are worried about the upcoming digital switchover for landline phones. Somerset Council could lose 13 percent of its elected members as part of an upcoming boundary review. Castle Cary has been named as the best place to live in the UK in an online poll...and more.
Tuesday 17th September

£400 million is being invested in research and development projects at the Leonardo factory in Yeovil. £29 million in council tax was left uncollected in Somerset in the last 3 years. A teenager from Yeovil is calling for more awareness of kidney failure. A new procedure for treating varicose veins has made it possible for patients to leave hospital earlier... and more.