Local News Monday 11th April

Monday, 11 April 2022 06:00

Ambitious plans have been submitted by Numatic in Chard, makers of the Henry vacuum cleaner, to build a major new production facility in the town. Ambulances are being diverted out of the area to other hospital sites because of the pressure on the NHS. Tributes have been paid to Councillor Alan Smith who has died aged 74 following a period of illness. Police are warning homeowners about a council tax scam. Parents locally are being warned to look out for Scarlet Fever and Chicken Pox amid a national rise in cases...and more.

Ambitious plans have been submitted by Numatic in Chard, makers of the Henry vacuum cleaner, to build a major new production facility in the town. The new factory complex, measuring 213 meters in length, and roughly the size of two football pitches, would be built on the former Oscar Mayer site, off Furnham Road. South Somerset District Council is due to make a decision on the application by the late summer.

Ambulances are being diverted out of the area to other hospital sites because of the pressure on the NHS. The situation is being blamed on rising Covid cases, staffing shortages, and bed blocking.

Tributes have been paid to Councillor Alan Smith who has died aged 74 following a period of illness. Alan, who was a councilor in Yeovil for almost 20 years, represented the Brympton ward on South Somerset District Council.

Police are warning homeowners about a council tax scam. As the government pays the £150 energy rebate this month, it’s reported homeowners are getting phone calls asking for their bank details so the money can be paid to their bank accounts, but Police say the calls are a scam. Eligible households in our area should receive £150 from South Somerset District Council this month.

Parents locally are being warned to look out for Scarlet Fever and Chicken Pox amid a national rise in cases. The Health Security Agency in the South West is reminding parents to check children for symptoms of both conditions. Early treatment can reduce the severity of the illnesses and the risk of infecting others.

Members of a biker’s charity in Somerset have been on a tour of the Council raising money for Ukraine. Money raised by The Four Aces Bikers Club will be sent to Poland to buy supplies for Ukrainian refugees.

A school in Chard has launched a campaign to have a 20 mph speed limit introduced outside the school gates. Children at Manor Court Primary School have started a petition to have the speed limit cut from 30 to 20 on Duck Lane. where the road passes the front of the school.

More from News

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.
Monday 3rd March

A woman from Crewkerne has been fined £280 for assaulting two emergency workers. Plans have been announced to open new NHS dental surgeries in Chard and Crewkerne. A Yeovil man has been thanked for raising £10,000 for the cardiac charity Heartbeat...and more
Friday 28th February

A local man has been charged after allegedly driving a tractor while under the influence of alcohol. One hundred bikes, collected with household waste in Somerset, have been donated to charity. The junction of the A37 Ilchester Road and Stiby Road in Yeovil will again shut this evening for resurfacing...and more.