Friday 7th February

Friday, 7 February 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Yeovil man has been fined £1,200 for sending hostile text messages to his ex-wife. A report into the performance of Avon and Somerset Police has found it doesn't answer emergency calls quickly enough. Twenty-two swimmers at the Trident Swimming Club in Chard have won places in this year’s Somerset County Swimming Championships...and more

A Yeovil man has been fined £1,200 for sending hostile text messages to his ex-wife. Stuart Foster of Welbeck Road in Yeovil pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared at Yeovil Magistrates Court. The Court was told that Foster had sent harassing messages to his ex-wife over three months. Apart from the fine, he was told to pay a £480 victim surcharge and was made the subject of a nine-month restraining order during which time he must have no make contact with his ex-wife.

A Yeovilton woman will set off later this month to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Ally Mcllroy, was a member of the Army Air Corps for 24 years, and now works as a Safety Officer at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil. She is due to start her ascent of the 6,000-meter-high Mount Kilimanjaro on February 16th raising money for the Rawthey Project that supports ex-members of the armed forces, emergency services and NHS communities.

A report into the performance of Avon and Somerset Police has found it doesn't answer emergency calls quickly enough. His Majesty's Inspectorate found the force requires improvement in five areas, including reducing the amount of non-emergency calls it abandons. Avon and Somerset Police say it welcomes the report and plans to tackle the problem areas it highlights.

The Local Government Ombudsman has called for Somerset Council to review its direct payment system - after a mother was left 7 thousand pounds in debt. Her children have extensive special needs and have care plans in place but the funds were not paid by the authority.

The government is giving £43 million towards building the new flood barrier on the River Parrett. Work has already started building the barrier and is expected to be finished in 2027. The barrier is designed to give protection to around 11,000 homes in areas surrounding the River Parrett.

Twenty-two swimmers at the Trident Swimming Club in Chard have won places in this year’s Somerset County Swimming Championships. The championships take place at Millfield School in Street tomorrow and on Sunday.

More from News

Thursday 13th March

A new campaign has been launched to persuade people in Somerset to stop smoking. Four people have been arrested in Chard in connection with the supply of Class A drugs. A dog from Yeovil has won the title of ‘best in breed’ at Cruffs....and more.
Wednesday 12th March

A charity in Somerset is appealing for support after one of its sites was vandalised. The Leader of Somerset Council has been to Westminster to put the case for central government to provide councils with more money. A new primary school is to built in Chard.... and more
Tuesday 11th March

The union representing workers at Somerset Council is warning of further job cuts at the council next year. Secondary school pupils in Somerset are being offered help to withstand peer pressure to vape or smoke. The bells of St George's Church in Hinton St George have been fully restored after becoming difficult to ring ... and more
Monday 10th March

A property in Raglan Terrace in Yeovil has been closed down by a court order after it was linked to anti-social behaviour. NHS Somerset says investing in nurse apprenticeships has helped to boost recruitment. A new community garden has opened in Chard.... and more
Friday 7th March

The Leader of Somerset Council has repeated his call for a reform of the way that councils are funded. Crimestoppers is stepping up efforts to help tackle violent crime in Somerset. A new radar satellite is playing a crucial role in collecting data about flooding in Somerset...and more
Thursday 6th March

Somerset Council has approved a seven-and-a-half percent increase in council tax. People are being asked to return boxes of paracetamol bought from Boots Chemists in Somerset. It’s been revealed that five members of staff at Somerset Council are being allowed to work from home outside the UK...and more
Wednesday 5th March

Somerset Council has been told that hundreds of millions of pounds in loans taken out by former district councils, including South Somerset, have to be paid back. A Somerset charity says it needs more volunteers to help with research into new treatments for dementia. A local shop owner has welcomed Somerset Council’s decision to scrap plans to charge for parking after 6 pm...and more.
Tuesday 4th March

The population of Somerset has reached record levels with nearly one in ten born outside the UK. Stanchester School in Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been rated as ‘requiring improvement’. Experts have been called in to appraise a 15th-century piece of artwork in Sherborne...and more.